יומנים > יומן - מלא 06/07/1948

Tuesday, July 6, 1948

Dr. [Aryeh] Altman came to see me. HATZOHAR [the Revisionist Zionist Party] is not interested in ETZEL's underground. [We] need to reinforce government rule and maintain a democratic opposition. But the government needs to know that more can be achieved through understanding than by force. TZOHAR and ETZEL are not the same thing. ETZEL needs to accept the authority of the majority, but what's needed is governance rather than takeover. The arrests are exacerbating the rivalries, and the detainees should be released. Why turn Hillel Kook [AKA Peter Bergson, US-based ETZEL activist and at the time an Altalena detainee] into a martyr?

         If a broad-based committee is to be established in Jerusalem, then the Revis[ionists] should be granted representation. Nothing has been achieved yet on the matter of the government [apparatus]. Herman Zvi Segel is the liaison and he submitted a list of candidates, but he was informed that the [Jewish] Agency, the General Council, and the [Mandatory] government officials have priority. He's also insisting on a place in the State Council presidency (instead of 3 deputies he proposes 4).

         In response I said that on the matter of ETZEL I had explained the government position at the [State] Council, now the Minister of Interior is handling the matter, and I'm in agreement with him. If the authority is sorted out, the detainees will be released. I cannot allow him to see Hillel Kook. If there is to be a broad-based committee in Jerusalem - they deserve representation. The apparatus is not something I'm handling. If I'm asked about deputyship in the Council presidency - I'll respond affirmatively.

         - Kolodny [Moshe Kol] came: It's impossible for the [Jewish] Agency to do its work in Jerusalem. In wartime ties cannot be maintained with the movement abroad (Dobkin) and the youth (Kolodny) from Jerusalem. These departments should be transferred to Tel Aviv - on the condition that there be an appropriate "address" in Jerusalem. He asserts that there's panic in Jerusalem. An authorized official entity is needed. He's asking to establish a liaison officer in the army for ''Aliyat HaNo'ar [Youth Aliyah, an organization that rescued children]. He has 13,000 youths and children, 60% of them aged 15-18. He is insisting on an investigation into the abandonment [surrender] of Nitzanim. Mapam members are vilifying the Nitzanim settlers.