יומנים > יומן - מלא 29/06/1948
Tuesday, June 29, 1948
The consul general from Holland visited me. He's a Protestant - this is how he described himself - from the right-wing, orthodox branch. He knows a bit of Hebrew. Well-versed in the New Testament. Asks whether Christian missionaries will be able to operate in the country. I said: Subject to the laws of the state they'll have complete freedom to operate in the country. Although, I added, I hope that if they work among Jews they fail, just as they failed previously. He asked whether it's true that Christian Jews [converts from Judaism] are being persecuted in Jerusalem - he heard that last week [people] were imprisoned in Jerusalem. I said that I'm hearing this for the first time. It's hard for me to believe that it's true, but I'll look into the matter, and if it turns out that someone was imprisoned because of his religion - he will be released immediately and the imprisoner will be reprimanded. He apologized, [saying] that he hadn't come to see me because of these questions but rather to meet, and only asked them incidentally. He asked that I visit him.
- Today [we] received the count's [Count Bernadotte's] suggestions. Anyone who suspected him of being Bevin's agent - didn't really have a basis for suspicion. He proposes a "Union" across both sides of the Jordan (Mandatory Palestine of 1922), which would have two members, Hebrew [Jewish] and Arab. The purpose of the Union is to advance general economic interests, provide general services, including customs and excise, make development plans, [and] formulate a foreign policy and means for joint defense. At the head of the Union there would be a central council, or other organs, as decided by the Union. Immigration would come under the authority of each member, on the condition that in two years each member will be able to petition the Union's council to reassess the other member's immigration policy and issue a ruling in line with the common interest. If the council is unable to reach a decision, the matter will be brought before the UN Economic and Social Council, which will take into account the principle of the capacity for economic absorption and will issue a final decision. All the country's [Arab] residents will have the right to return to their previous place [of residence] and have all their properties returned to them.
The suggestions also include material for "consideration": 1) Inclusion of the whole or part of the Negev in Arab territory, 2) Inclusion of the whole or part of Western Galilee in Jewish territory, 3) inclusion of the City of Jerusalem in Arab territory with municipal autonomy for the Jewish community and special arrangements for the protection of the Holy Places, 4) Consideration of the status of Jaffa, 5) Establishment of a free port at Haifa, the area of the free port to include the refineries and [petroleum] terminals, 6) Establishment of a free airport at Lydda [Lod].
- When I notified Yigael [Yadin] and Zvi [Ayalon] this morning of my conclusions regarding commands for the fronts and departments - appointing Moshe [Carmel], Makleff, and Yigal Allon, replacing Zvi [Ayalon] with Ben-Artzi, Lehrer [Zadok] with Shlomo [Shamir], and Eliahu [Ben-Hur] with Lehrer - they threatened me with shock and devastation per the old formula [a reference to the crisis in May following the elimination of the Chief of National Headquarters post]. The main uproar was, of course, directed against Makleff's appointment as front commander. Yigael [Yadin] insisted specifically on Yigal [Allon] [for the Central Front]. His argument - Makleff is inexperienced, [and] establishing the Staff will take a lot of time. He's needed for the brigade in the Galilee, he's needed as an operations officer for Moshe [Carmel], he's needed as an operations officer for Yigal [Allon]. When I asked [them] when Yigal [Allon] had been a front commander, they told me that he'd been a front commander in Latrun [in early June, during Operation Yoram], and even when I reminded [them] that Stone [Marcus] had been the commander here and Yigal P. was only present 4 or 5 nights, Yigael S. [Yadin] stood his ground.
Zvi [Ayalon] was offended - because his appointment as brigade commander involves a demotion. When I reminded him that this was what he asked of me - he explained that he'd meant commanding a front, rather than a brigade. At the very least - an independent brigade, like Dan [Even]. He still serves as Deputy Chief of Staff with responsibility for everything that isn't subject to the Logistics Department, the Personnel Department, [or] the Operations Department, and in effect for coordination among the departments, determining procedure, determining organization, handling new regulations for staffs and units; he has a division for appointments: beginning with battalion deputy commander and above. He follows [monitors] developments involving the brigades and their commanders - this is not a matter for an inspector general - and he has a division for Staff positions.
When I spoke again with Yigael [Yadin], he suggested [Yisrael] Shchori as city commander for Tel Aviv, Zvi Cohen for Petah Tivka. James [Ben-Gal] won't work, in his view, neither as city commander nor as brigade commander. He's not a fighter. Proposes transferring him to a division within the Personnel [Department]. His deputy, Emanuel Orlansky [Nishri] [sp.], cannot take his place - neither as the city commander nor as the brigade commander. Yigael believes that Brigade Het [the 8th Brigade] will be mobilized to the Lod-Ramle front. Brigade Zayin [the 7th Brigade] - to Carmel [the Carmeli front]. Yigael suggests Levitze [Yitzhak Levi] as city commander for Jerusalem.
- [Nahum] Warlinski came to see me. He'd returned from Jerusalem. Nearly all the amounts that were sent from here were received. There were a few thefts. Based on a calculation of calories, the UN inspectors agreed to allow another 1,500 tons. They'll also permit another 400 tons to account for the weight of the packaging.
A plan for deliveries has been set: no bread, no sugar, no vegetables, no potatoes - there's bread for 4½ months. They want condensed food: yellow cheese, condensed milk, jam, cigarettes, canned vegetables. This is only available from the army. They're calling for 2,000 cases of yellow cheese (each case contains 48 packets). They bought 9,600 cases from Steel [Brothers, Ltd.]. Of this Jerusalem received 4,000. Warlinski is requesting another 2,000 for Jerusalem.
The transport organizations were instructed by the army to transfer 2,000 tons to Jerusalem [via the Burma Road] - [because] if this is subjected to UN inspections it won't be possible to provide additional food for Jerusalem.
Shvilim [the Haganah's military procurement company] is buying all the jam for the army. Warlinski is requesting 100 tons of jam for Jerusalem. Beginning today 250 tons of fuel will be delivered daily.
- I urgently summoned Shaul [Avigur] from Kinneret to rush back to Europe. Lest the truce ends, [we] must expedite the delivery of heavy equipment and the "Knives" [Messerschmitt planes]. The [Flying] Fortresses arrived without bombs, without equipment, and without devices for bombs. Devices for bombs are now being assembled in Czechoslovakia. They'll get Czech bombs. Ehud [Avriel] has the authority to establish a broadcasting [station]. The Yugoslav base will also have a broadcasting [station] of ours.
Shaul telegraphed to immediately send the instruments - the cannons. In his view, they can only be sent from there in 10 days, by sea. He has to meet with a few more people before leaving.
- [Dr. Avraham] Granovski [Granot] came to see me. He hasn't received a reply from [Avraham] Rutenberg [manager of the Electric Company] as to whether there is 7½ million. Nor does he have confirmation as to whether they've transferred the 1½ million that he asked for per my request. He wants to change the terms for providing us with 7½ million: half of it would be a debt of the state [to KKL], and half would be decided upon after the war. I said that he must choose: either a commitment by the state to return only half to KKL - or the entire matter to be decided after the war by both sides - the state and KKL.
- Aharon Remez: The foreign pilots [volunteers from abroad]. There are about 300 foreigners [IDF Foreign Volunteers] (Canadians, Americans, Africans). Half of them are refusing to swear [allegiance to the IDF], in part for fear of a civil war [in light of the Altalena incident]. Remez believes that if 150 [of these] men leave, our air force will suffer greatly.
- Fritz [Shalom Eshet] suggests that the [General] Staff be composed of: G (Planning), Operations (Ops), I [Intelligence], Signal, Training; Q [Logistics], A [Administration] (Personnel).