יומנים > יומן - מלא 06/03/1948

[Saturday,] March 6, 1948

This morning the radio reported that Belgium's proposed amendment was rejected (5 voted in favor, 6 abstained) and the American proposal was approved. The Partition Plan was reaffirmed. Anyone who tries to violate it by force will be considered an aggressor, and the maintenance of peace in the country was referred to the five [permanent members of the Security Council] for discussion.

       Later I was brought this telegram from Moshe [Sharett]:

Security Council majority eight with three abstentions (br. [Britain]., Suria [sic], Argentina) decides call upon permanent members to consult among them and recommend (?) to Council within ten days. Instention [Instruction?] givable Pal. Com. "with view to implementing resolutions of Gen. Assembly". Council appeal all Gov. and peoples particularly in and around Pal. take all possible action to prevent or reduce disorders - - - - Consider result satisfactory under circumstances.

Agree with this assessment - Moshe.

       - In the morning I met Kaplan, Zabrasky, and Shkolnik [Eshkol] regarding the defense budget. I proposed to Kaplan six ways of funding our emergency needs:

       A) To ensure supplies for the summer months from Canada, America, Argentina, and Australia. Towards this end to send special envoys to place orders for food and fuel with cash, with credit, and as a gift, from the Jews of Argentina and Australia. Aside from being necessary in itself - this will also provide a basis for credit and the expenditure of our money.

       B) To immediately arrange a loan for a few years to be repaid in dollars, because there's some anxiety in the country, and people will willingly invest money for the promise of dollars.

       C) To collect income tax. The collection of property taxes has already been transferred to municipalities. Perhaps also an amusement tax. The fate of excise tax (cigarettes, wine, beer) and direct income tax is unclear. Some of the tax can already be collected now, some can be underwritten now as against future income.

       D) To arrange another loan at the banks and among individuals.

       E) To expedite the fundraising campaign and arrange defense fundraising campaigns abroad. At present no other fundraising campaign would succeed.

       F) To expend money (in the form of checks or another form) to be covered [underwritten] by: (1) dollars in America; (2) taxes in the country; (3) centralized purchases of supplies; (4) payments to institutions - everything at a certain percent.

       Kaplan says the bank is concerned about a loan in dollars, lest it increases lack of confidence in the pound. [People are] smuggling money, buying gold, investing in plots of land at inflated prices, etc. Credit is unattainable - because it goes back to the bank immediately. Supplies have been arranged for June - but cash is needed. In principle supplies have been arranged through the end of 1948, at 2/3 of the "free" market rate. But funding has not been arranged yet.

       Zabrasky assesses that over the course of three months the country will require 5 million for defense. In this regard there's hope: 900,000 from the fundraising campaign, 250,000 from the KKL (as against the Negev), 300,000 from abroad. That's 3½ million short. He's pressing for a dollar loan ([by way of Leon] Recanati [of Bank Discount]).

       As urgent measures we'll ask for a three-month loan from the KKL for $ 2 million (or half a million pounds), and $ 1 million from the Histadrut. Ziama [Aran] promised to discuss this with [Avraham] Dickenstein. He's about to arrange a loan of five million for the Histadrut, and he agrees to prioritize defense.

       - A "government committee" [on behalf of Mapai] came to see me: Perlson [Peri], Isserzon [On], Ziama [Aran]. [For the provisional government] they propose: B. G., Moshe [Sharett], Kaplan, and Remez. First of all I disputed the exclusion of Golda [Meir]: it's inconceivable that isn't a woman who's as suitable as any man. This is a moral and political imperative - vis-à-vis the Yishuv, the Jewish world, and the Arab world. This is a flag [symbol] for the Near East. They disagreed with me - and I'll bring the matter to the [Mapai] Center.

       During the discussion of finances they suggested that I transfer some of Golda's dollars for budgetary needs in the country. I informed them that this is impossible unless the total exceeds 20 million. Defense has two components: equipment (weapons, aircraft, naval craft, and vehicles) and people (training, equipping, and upkeep). The first of these requires about 20 million, and only in dollars. These cannot be generated here. All the equipment must be here before May 15. Expenses involving personnel - must be generated in-country and through defense fundraising campaigns in other countries (aside from America). Only if the income from Golda exceeds 20 million, will it be possible to transfer a few dollars to the country.

       - At four [Mapai] Center meeting on the composition of the government council and the government. I insisted that Golda be included - because she is worthy and because her membership in the first "government" has moral and political importance. But I fear that my demand won't be met. The main question [discussed by] the Center - who will be appointed to the 13th position [in the government]: ''Aliyah Hadasha or HaIhud HaEzrahi.

       - At 8 p.m. a delegation of HaIhud HaEzrahi: [Aryeh] Shenkar, [Yosef] Sapir, [Israel] Rokach, [Dr. Shaul] Lifschitz, [Zvi] Isaacson. Shenkar: The economic circles are discriminated against. Admittedly he's a General Zionist, but there's the Yishuv, and Gruenbaum and [Peretz] Bernstein are not representatives of the Yishuv. Rokach added: The farmers are more than Agudas Israel. Industry employs 50,000 workers. The government will primarily address economic matters - because the Agency will be engaged in policy. They demand two, at least one farmer. Sapir claims that he's a General Zionist, but he chose his representatives for the sake of the Congress, not for the sake of the government.

       - At the Executive meeting we decided on 12 of the 13 portfolios for now: chairman (and defense), foreign [affairs], treasury, internal [affairs], labor and public work, industry and trade, aliyah, agriculture, transport, education, justice [system], religion, healthcare and assistance [social services].

       The General Zionists gave the third position to [Aryeh] Shenkar, but from the delegation that came to see me it's clear that the Ezrahi bloc won't see him as their representative and will continue to appeal, and therefore there's no point in giving the third position to the General Zionists.