יומנים > יומן - מלא 17/05/1948

Monday, May 17, 1948

At 5 a.m. another attempted bombing [of Tel Aviv] - but our artillery and gunmen apparently drove the ["]heroic["] pilots away, because instead of explosions I heard the gunfire of bullets and artillery.

       - Staff meeting. Turns out the military convoy to Jerusalem didn't leave on time. The trucks that were sent with supplies to the Negev - were seized by the commander and he hasn't returned them. Tonight 28 supply vehicles are being loaded for Harel and Etsiyyoni forces [brigades]. Yigael believes that tonight the vehicles based in Jerusalem will leave.

       I asked what we do about organizing the brigade [7th Brigade]. Two days ago Eliahu [Ben-Hur] delivered the armored battalion to him. Counting the two infantry battalions, he had 300. Why is it going slowly? This timetable, according to Zvi [Ayalon] and Lehrer [Zadok] was set by Shlomo. Alexandroni sent his company - 60 invalids [handicapped] and injured (Yigael).

       Lehrer claims that it was also decided to establish a second brigade from the Training Bureau, trainees and instructors (Zvi [Gilat]) as a provisional reserve brigade.

       Yigael [Yadin]: There's fighting in Jerusalem in the Old City.

       Who started?

       Yigael: The Arabs violated the cease-fire.

       Was this relayed to the press?

       The convoy of provisions to the Negev - delayed because the Legion entered Iraq-Suweidan [an Arab village]. Stone [Marcus] flew to the Negev today. Pressure in the "center" [Sharon and Samaria front] is increasing. The Legion entered the Triangle [Samaria] by planes and armored vehicles. There's news that Nebi Yusha [a police fort, today Metzudat Koach in the Galilee Panhandle] was captured [by our forces]. We're waiting for Acre to fall [to Carmeli].

       Have they reached Yehiam? We don't know. Yigael thinks that they have.

       Ras a-Naqoura [Rosh HaNikra] hasn't been conquered yet. They reached the Lebanese side by sea. Yesterday the Legion from Sarafand attacked Rishon [LeZion]. The residents fled. The IZL attack in Ramle is not making progress. The airfield at Lod has a lot of Arab property. We're about to bomb Lod.

       Airplanes have taken off for the Dead Sea to bring children [from Bet Ha'Arava]. Today the cease-fire meeting is supposed to take place [at the Potash Company].

       In the Jordan Valley - artillery attack on Bet Yosef [south of Gesher]. Aerial bombardment in Ashdot[-Ya'akov]. Our people in Herzliya say they personally saw airplanes fall into the sea. Radio Cairo announces one missing plane. Radio Damascus reports on three downed planes. During the bombardment this morning a bomb landed in Mahane Yona [in north Tel Aviv].

       - A ship with ma'apilim [clandestine immigrants] has arrived. This morning there is a second ship of immigrants.

       - The unloading of the weapons cargo ship [Borea] is completed. So far 3 planes with cargo have arrived. 4 more PIATs, explosives, etc. have been sent to the Jordan Valley.

       [What about] weapons collection from farms? Givati collected 350 rifles, Alexandroni will collect 600 rifles. No news from the Valley or the Galilee. We needed to send a sapper to the Galilee - and there was no taxi to take him. - Why are so many vehicles standing next to the Red House [Command Headquarters]?

       Yigael is complaining that he's been running around for hours trying to spur other divisions into action. I asked Yigael: What plan have we prepared for after these days of invasion? We need a reserve. The fastest solution would be to recruit [from the] courses [conducted by the Training Bureau]. Eliahu [Ben-Hur] will get 1,500 from the Logistics Department as well as instructors, and they'll be ready for action. The head of the Training Department will be the commander.

       We'll postpone the platoon commanders' course.

       What about the Negev? We'll focus on the Gaza-Beersheva axis. We'll send 30 jeeps. Some will leave tomorrow - assault companies. Two more armed companies are being prepared.

       Is the way clear?

       Not entirely; [it's blocked at] Iraq-Suweidan. The Legion from Gush Etsiyyon [the Etsiyyon Bloc] has moved down to Beersheva (some of it to Iraq-Suweidan). Will we be able to last two weeks - without more weapons from abroad? Yigael is not sure, it depends on how fast we can enlist more forces here.

       Ratner: We're feeling things out. The Legion's forces are reinforcing Qawuqji's forces. And if they achieve a victory - local Arab forces will join. We need commando operations on the Arab home front.

       Is there a commando?

       Moshe Dayan was instructed to organize a commando for the center. If we don't get airplanes within two weeks, Ratner doubts that we'll be able to hold on. We're fighting against a coalition - which is very different from fighting a single state. We have to deliver a knockout to one of the sides.

       Yitzhak [Sadeh] opposes using reserves to fill in gaps. We need to move against Ramallah. We have the force. And how much time [will it take]? He thinks that five days are enough to mobilize the force and launch the operation, maybe via Kefar Sirkin-Birzeit [along the Qula-Rantis Axis]. For this we'll need 1,500 new recruits - an armored [brigade] and artillerymen.

       Yisrael [Galili] asks about Haim [Laskov]: To artillery, to the Negev, to training? We'll decide jointly with Ya'akov.

       A combat commander - like Makleff - should be sent to the to the Jordan front (right now Yitzhak Bornstein [Broshi] is there. He wasn't in the army).

       Berl R. [Raptor] and Ben-Aharon came: According to [Moshe] Sneh and [Yisrael] Barzilai, we can get airplanes from Czechoslovakia and Poland if we approach them in the name of the provisional government. Poland and Czechoslovakia draw a distinction between large-scale assistance from Russia and their own ad hoc assistance. The condition for this is - an official request from the government.

       When were Sneh and Barzilai there?

       Ten days ago. They were in Poland together. In Czechoslovakia separately.

       I summoned Sneh. He reports on behalf of [Jakub] Berman [of the Polish Communist Party] that Poland can provide food supplies (wheat from Danzig) - in exchange for dollars or provisions that they need. Comprehensive and coordinated assistance from various countries (Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia) is only possible by way of Russia. He also met with a (Jewish) Polish general. (The general) told him: Poland's production is small-scale. What remained from Germany has been destroyed, and he cannot make promises in terms of weapons. Sneh spoke with him about planes and other matters - the general heard him.

        Was he with Barzilai? - No, Barzilai was there before him. Was Barzilai promised more? - No, because Sneh relayed what he'd been told, and Barzilai didn't comment.

       In Paris he saw [Jacques] Duclos - organizer [and secretary] of the Communist Party. Among other things Duclos let slip that it is difficult for states to negotiate with public bodies rather than governments, especially for a large state like Soviet Russia; if you have a government of your own soon - this might change, because there's a lot of talk about you, arrangements are already being made for a charge d'affaires to liaise with your government, and if you have a government - things are likely to change.

       [Sneh] was in Czechoslovakia but did not address these matters.

       - A consultation in the home of Ya'akov [Dori]: Yisrael [Galili], [Yohanan] Ratner, Yigael [Yadin] and Ya'akov. Yigael spoke by phone with David [Shaltiel]. The men at Neve Ya'akov left their position without orders and against orders, and with their weapons relocated to Jerusalem during the night. This morning Arabs attacked Jews in the Old City, after a temporary truce, and tonight David is planning to break into the Old City.

       The consular committee along with the UN envoy (Azcarate?) traveled to Transjordan to protest [the Legion's] invasion into the country, on behalf of the Security Council.

       David received a company from Harel, and [Yitzhak] Rabin [Harel commander] asks what takes precedence: Jerusalem or the road?

       I told Yigael: Both, and he must find a company to add to Harel so that we can undertake a conquest of the road and liberate it.

       We discussed the difficult situation in the Jordan Valley. I demanded additional weapons, increased manpower if possible, and a commander along the lines of Motke Makleff. For some reason I didn't get support from Yisrael in this regard. Eventually Maxie Kahan, a battalion commander in Haifa, was proposed as the Jordan Valley front commander.

       I insisted that they implement the decision regarding a reserve brigade (under Shlomo Rabinovitz [Shamir]) and not form a new brigade until the first is established.

       The Jordan Valley residents asked that we let them decide whether to remove the children or leave them there. I agreed.

       I summoned Lehrer. I asked who told him to provide soldiers for the new brigade [the 8th Brigade] - before it was decided on. He answered: Yesterday I received this order from Hillel [Y. Galili].

       I informed him that the order was revoked, and that Ya'akov would give him orders in this regard. Yosef R. [Avidar] also reported that he'd received orders from Hillel to provide weapons for the brigade.

       - A delegation of pilots came to see me: Senior, Pussy Tolchinsky, and Gideon Gordon. They're complaining that the air force still isn't properly organized. Airplanes were damaged by bombing. They should have been kept at Ekron (a Bonanza, C-46, C-47 were damaged). They're pleased with the appointment of Aharon Remez [as air force chief of staff]. Senior proposes inviting Cecil Margo from South Africa. He was a battalion commander, pilot, and has experience with aircraft. We need coordination between the air force and the army, through two communications [liaison] officers. Ian [Yannai] is not providing enough assistance with means of communication.

       - At six I summoned the mem-alef [Haganah National Headquarters]. [Zelig] Rosetsky, Baruch [Rabinov], von Friedmann [Eitan Avissar], Yosef Y. [Yizraeli], [Shimon] Wasserman came. I informed them that given the founding of the state and the government, all authority - chain-of-command, budgetary, etc. - has shifted to the government, and the institution known as the Headquarters is not authorized to make binding decisions. I wish to clarify the roles of the mem-alef members and see how well suited they are to the new regime, and if there is value in having the institution continue to exist as an entity, or whether its members should remain in their positions as individuals.

       Shimon [Wasserman] is a member of the Culture Department (which has 3 members), the Gadna [Youth Battalions] Department, the Local Headquarters Committee, mem-alef delegate for fortification issues (outside of the Negev); manager (with Yosef Y.) of the Department of Religious Affairs (kitchens, synagogues, religious needs, composition of religious units, religious literature, appointment of kashrut supervisors, determination of practices, [Passover] Seder, Shabbat, etc.); member of the [Military] Exemptions Committee.

       (The Culture and Assistance Department is run by Yosef Krakovi - culture; Asael Dodson [Ben-David] - assistance; subordinate to Moshe Lehrer [head of the Personnel Department]).

       [Zelig] Rosetsky [serves] at the Recruiting Center, the Visa Committee for those traveling abroad, the Soldiers' Welfare [Committee], the Finance Committee ([Yosef] Yaakovson was its chairman), accounts review, hasbara [explanation, public relations], Gadna, local headquarters.

       Baruch Rabinov - finances, Staff accounting, and general accounting. On the Transport Committee (with authority to confiscate vehicles) (the chairman is [Yosef] Yaakovson), Procurements Committee, on the board of Shvilim [the army's procurement agency], the Economic Defense Committee.

       Yosef Y. [Yizraeli] Personnel Department, Religious Committee, Legal [Committee] (Adv. [Avraham] Gorali - Chief Prosecutor), Recruiting Center, Military Exemptions Committee, Enlistment Deferrals Committee ([Nahum] Het - Legal Advisor to the [General] Staff).

       I asked them to remain in their positions. The question of whether or not they would constitute an entity - I left open (not present at the meeting were Isser [Ben-Zvi], Gad Meknes, [Mordechai] Namir).

       In the evening I consulted with Shkolnik [Eshkol] and [Ze'ev] Sherf regarding the organization of the Defense Department [Ministry of Defense]. Yosef Y. will bring a prepared proposal, and I'll convene Yisrael [Galili] and Shkolnik and we'll decide on a new structure.

       - In the evening we received two refreshing pieces of news: [Soviet Foreign Minister] Molotov replied to Moshe [Sharett]'s cable regarding recognition of the state; speaking at the Security Council, [US representative] Austin called on the Arab states to suspend attacks against the State of Israel for a period of 36 hours. Rays of light.

       At this time aerial bombardment [over Tel Aviv] has resumed.

       - Rabbi Fishman [Maimon] and Shapira are complaining about discrimination against the Mizrachi [party] in the assignment of positions. In their view, Mapam received too many.