יומנים > יומן - מלא 11/03/1949
Friday, March 11, 1949, Tiberias
Yesterday at 6 p.m. the plan was approved [in the Knesset], and confidence in the new government was expressed after three days of debate. Two of the coalition members were absent – B. Ben-Zvi and Dr. Granovski – and therefore we received only 75 votes against 45. In opposition: Mapam, Herut, Communists, LEHI, General Zionists.
Immediately after the session concluded, I convened the new government and reported on the conquest of the Negev, which was completed over the last few days without any bloodshed. The armistice agreement with Egypt made it possible to enter the southern Negev from the west, after we discovered passages in the desert and an airfield that provided supplies for cells that infiltrated eastward, southward.
This morning Ya’akov [Dori] telephoned [to say] that tonight at midnight [the night between March 10 and 11] our flag was planted in the waters of the Red Sea gulf. We’ve reached Eilat. This is perhaps the greatest event in recent months, if not during the entire war of independence and conquest. And not a single drop of blood was shed! Yesterday morning we intercepted a cable from [General] Glubb [Arab Legion commander] ordering the Transjordanian forces to withdraw to Transjordan. Ras al-Naqab and Umm Rashrash were in their hands. We’re now stationed in ‘Ein Gedi and Eilat.
Is it now the turn of the northern Triangle [which was in the hands of the Iraqi expeditionary force]? The talks in Rhodes will determine a lot.
J. McDonald, Ethridge, and Bob Szold are here.
– [We] need to plan for the absorption of 800,000 immigrants over the course of 4 years, how many homes will be needed, which industrial branches will be developed, how many tracts of land we’ll settle, what sums will be needed, what equipment is lacking, what will the imports and exports be. [Yitzhak] Gruenbaum might be able to prepare such a general outline.
[We] need to speak with every municipal and local council regarding their development plans, whether or not they need financial assistance from the government.
What is the state of the equipment in the factories – what needs to be revamped and upgraded.
Which are the industries that should be transferred to Jerusalem and what are the works that should be specifically designated for Jerusalem?
Is it possible to begin building population centers in the southern Negev – first of all in Eilat? In Kurnub [Mamshit]? Paving a road from Beersheva to the southern Dead Sea.
Szold says there’s a plan to pump water from the Dead Sea and convey it directly to the Mediterranean Sea – to save on transport costs.
[We] need to enlist a number of manufacturers, building contractors – to participate in outlining the path to promoting industry.
Among workers [we] need to establish “state-aligned” committees based on the government plan for vocational training, increasing the standard of living, improving and enhancing output, labor law
And [we] need to find time! How can [we] manage within the confines of 24 hours per day?! I’ll have to establish a stringent schedule: for Defense Ministry matters (meeting with the Staff, main Ministry employees, Navy, Air Force), general planning (meetings with [the ministries of] Finance, Labor, Agriculture and Industry, and rationing), for coordination among government ministries, for contact with the working public, with men of letters, with army commanders, visits to camps and factories and settlements, receiving people, reading material, writing. Contact persons will be necessary: with the ministries (at least biweekly reports on what each ministry is doing), on the state of employment (regular reports 2-3 times per week on the state of employment and unemployment), housing (activities, preparations, and shortages) settlement, Arabs, the state of industry, of finances, Scientific Board, military industry, state of supplies, police and internal security, foreign affairs (talks with Arab states, contact with the superpowers – Russia and America – and with Eastern and Western states, contact with the [Jewish] Agency, with Jewish population centers in the Golah [Exile, i.e., Diaspora], with HeHalutz, the labor movement. The press – Eretz-Israeli, Jewish, general).
[We] need to draft a series of laws: 1) on civic equality, on freedom of religion, [freedom] of conscience, language, education, and culture, on women’s equality. On freedom of association and expression, on universal suffrage. 2) On universal conscription. 3) On the nationalization of water sources, natural treasures, barren lands. 4) Oversight over imports and prices, rationing. 5) Taxes – progressive, inheritance, capital gain. 6) Promoting the birthrate 7) Compulsory universal education. 8) Rehabilitation of soldiers. 9) Labor laws. 10) The hiring of office workers.
– Hillel Dan and David Hacohen came to see me. They want to know what role Solel Boneh [a cooperative Jewish labor company for public works, construction, and industry] will have in the state. I replied: The issues precede the instruments. Anyone who can build us more homes efficiently and cheaply – takes the lead. But I want to make Solel Boneh an efficient tool in the service of the state, and I’ll accept a liaison officer (Dan is willing to do this!), and I asked to be given: 1) a description of Solel Boneh’s factories, equipment, output, number of workers, working conditions, capital. 2) the equipment for construction and public works, scope of work, number of workers, working conditions, capital. 3) the equipment to be purchased and [the equipment] already purchased abroad.
– I spoke with Szold regarding the need to enlist industry and construction tycoons in America to come here and plan the development of industry and construction and to help implement the plans. He offers his services in all aspects.
By way of David Hacohen, who’s about to travel to the US with Moshe, I asked that while in America, and in consultation with experts (Baruch!), Moshe prepare a list of industry tycoons who are willing to come here at my invitation.