יומנים > יומן - מלא 29/01/1948

Thursday, 29 January 1948

Shkolnik [Eshkol]: Ben-Dor knows an Arab from Hebron, anti-Husayni, [classified]. He wants to be linked with the workers' movement. He's volunteering to go to the Negev, to Beersheva, to preach about the sanctity of water. Ben-Dor knows him through Epstein (Jerusalemite, his son is in ETZEL, was the broker in the purchase of Gush Etsiyyon lands). I'll check with Arab experts.

       - [The engineer Simcha] Blass was recommended to Vilenchuk for the defense manufacturing committee, and he gladly accepted him. I told Vilenchuk to take the engineer [Felix] Belkin as a representative of the Manufacturers' Association to this committee.

       - Walter Cohen arrived from South Africa two days ago. He's from Germany. Escaped in 1933 to South Africa from Berlin. Golanti [sp.] a Revisionist from South Africa, told someone that he has ties with weapons manufacturers [in Czechoslovakia]. After we were asked by telegraph, Cohen was sent to see Golanti (a week ago), and Golanti gave him a list of weapons that can be acquired immediately: 20,000 [ZK-]383 submachine guns from the factory - P£ 80 each; 8,000 [MG-]34 machine [gun]s - P£ 180 each; 6,500 ZB-36 light machine [gun]s - P£ 175 each; 2,000 ZB-47 machine [gun]s - P£ 400 each; 3,000 anti-air [light machine guns] 13, 131 mm - P£ 480 each; 400,000 hand grenades - P£ 1.1 each; ammunition - SS, P£ 2 per thousand; Parabellum ammunition P£ 1 per thousand; 400,000 landmines (no price); 30,000 pistols - P£ 4.1 each; 5,000 Bren 2 - P£ 36 each; 500,000 rifles - P£ 11 each; Sten 38 rifles - P£ 14 each; automatic rifles - P£ 12 each.

       Terms of purchase: Delivery up to the Czech border is included in the prices, as is insurance up to the Black Sea port. The buyer pays for delivery from the Czech border to the Black Sea, loading onto the ship, and delivery to the country. Also insurance from the Black Sea. Payment by bonds to a Swiss Bank payable to the Czechoslovak bank in Prague: 1/3 at the time of the order, 1/3 when the merchandise leaves the factory, 1/3 when it crosses the Czech border. The merchandise will be sent by sealed trucks either to Constanta [Romania] or to Varna[?] [Bulgaria].

       Golanti was the agent for weapon supplies to ETZEL. He's a wholesale trader. Gring [sp.] believes that Golanti is above suspicion. His son is studying at the Technion in Haifa.

       Gring insisted that Cohen fly [here] immediately, but Cohen insisted that Golanti introduce him to the Czech agent. He met the agent last Saturday; she's a Jewish woman, a Czech, Mrs. Seger, 50-60 years old. She told Cohen that she has good connections in Czechoslovakia, especially with two people: Joseph Novotny (an engineer, apparently manager of a factory - according to Golanti) and Charles Baxant (director of Skoda). She gave Cohen their phone number and address. She said that the list Cohen has is not complete. She's prepared to go with Cohen and a representative of the "Organization" to Prague, where they can also buy secret weaponry that hasn't yet been released. She showed him a picture of a machine [gun] called a Triplet (three barrels that fire very rapidly in three different directions) - it was made for the Russian army. Also other types. Our man will be able to see it all and buy whatever he wants. Moreover - we'll see the blueprints and whatever we choose - they'll give us experts to make it in the country. As to delivery - our people will be able to accompany the delivery. So can Cohen. She is in touch with an Armenian of high standing in Cairo, and he's prepared to deliver the shipment anywhere in the country - whether by sea or by land. If we're willing to receive it at the Black Sea - she'll go to Czechoslovakia herself. If we want to receive it in the country - she has to go to Cairo and meet with the Armenian.

       Why would she do this - because she's Jewish or for the profit? For both reasons.

       Payments can be made in America. She noted that every order has to receive approval from Moscow - and she's certain that Moscow will approve or has already approved. According to her we'll also be able to get merchandise from [the] Skoda [factory], and from a third factory, but Cohen doesn't remember the name.

       - At ten a talk with Col. [Monty] Green: 11 months in the country. His battalion was here. [He] attended the Staff College in Haifa. Now he's working at the Staff and helping organize the Staff and the brigades. Ben-Artzi, Rochel [Avidar], Yigael Sukenik [Yadin], and Lubitch [Arye Lapid] are working with him. So far they've specified the standard for an infantry battalion [and] the brigade staff; in four days they'll finish the arrangements for the General Staff. He found irregularities (cautiously explained that this stems from the special circumstances, the political situation, and the outbreak of war before we were ready). Doesn't know where the conscript is sent, what happens to him after he's sent, if he falls ill or is injured. All the medical side is in disorder, there's no order in the payment process, purchasing is scattered and anarchic. There's no coordination, and there's waste. In the British army only the Chief of Staff and general have their own car, the rest are for the Staff, and when necessary the officers request [a car]. Here every lowly officer has a car. The provision of food is not orderly, [soldiers] eat in hotels and kibbutzim - but there's a need for field kitchens and supplies in case it's necessary to mobilize. There is a waste of furniture. [In England] only the Chief of Staff has a desk such as his; generals sit at a simple wooden table. Finance people interfere in business that is not theirs. The Staff needs to say what it requires, [finance people] estimate the cost, the government decides how much money to allocate and for what, the treasurer produces the money, and the financial officer [payments officer] ensures that the expenses were handled properly, but they don't interfere in execution as they do here. Every head of department in the Staff is making his own rules.

       I asked whether the men are qualified for their positions. - He hesitated in answering. Only knows a few. Hasn't yet met the Chief of Staff. Rochel [Avidar] is astute, doesn't talk much, wants to concentrate everything in his own hands. Yigael [Yadin] is intelligent and wants to learn. Ben-Artzi's knowledge [accords with] the rank of captain, at most major. Fritz [Eshet] is irritable.

       Would you replace these people? - [He] would build and improve the organization, so that everyone has a deputy and if necessary can be replaced. The Chief of Staff should have the authority to dismiss and appoint officers. There are no high-ranking officers in the country. We need brigadiers and generals. He himself isn't suited either. Now they're planning a GHQ [General Headquarters, i.e., General Staff].

       Battalion standard - 700 men, 42 different vehicles, suitable equipment and weapons. [He] wants there to be a civilian treasurer to oversee expenses and accounting. A General-Adjutant Dept., in effect a deputy Chief of Staff, is needed to coordinate the activities of the Staff departments under the Chief of Staff's command.

       When the work is done - early next week - we'll continue the conversation.

       I asked him whether he would come work for us. He doubts it. He's already giving 8-9 hours daily and in his opinion it's not good to work 24 hours. But: A. He has a business. Almost all his partners (Sacharoff) are busy. B. Then he wouldn't be free to express an opinion. I asked whether an officer can't express an opinion opposing his superior. - No. Only to describe facts during an investigation [inquiry], but not to criticize or express an opinion.

       - Ehud [Avriel] returned from his kibbutz and I asked that he meet today with Walter Cohen [who came from South Africa].

       - Zimmerman from Yavne'el is demanding armed reinforcement for the weak settlements in his area: Sejera, Bet Keshet, Kadoorie School, Kefar Kisch, Dovrat, Kefar Tavor, Mitzpe (?). The Mes'ha-Sharona-Yavne'el-Kinneret road is in disrepair.

       Armed Arabs are roaming around Har Tavor [Mount Tabor]. On the mountain training is taking place. Near (east of) Sejera, in the direction of Kafr Sabt, "Mitzpe HaGalil" is about to be founded (organized by HaPo'el HaMizrachi) (40 families) now living on a farm in Sejera [in 1949 they founded Sde Ilan].

        - [Eliahu] Dobkin is proposing a committee of five to handle recruits who come from abroad: [Giora] Josephtal (immigrant absorption), Abe [Avraham] Harman (Youth Department [youth immigration]), Tzilan [sp.] (General Zionists) Labor Department, [Ephraim] Frank (HaPo'el HaMizrachi) Settlement Department and the "Organization's" representative; Dobkin as chairman.

       [Abba Hillel] Silver wants to be the head of recruitment in America.

       [Yitzhak] Gruenbaum proposes a government of 12-15, only from the coalition in the [Jewish] Agency and the General Council - General Zionists, workers' parties, Mizrachi (without the Revisionists, Communists, or Ihud Ezrahi). A.H. Silver, in a conversation with Dobkin, stated that he objects to Gruenbaum's position and insists on an all-inclusive coalition, from the Communists to the Revisionists. Without Communists the Russians will be mad at us.

       In America we received 1,000 tourist visas [for volunteers to come over].

       Gruenbaum believes that [Moshe] Sneh left [the Jewish Agency Executive] because of me and joined the Meuhedet party [Mapam] in order to fight me ….

       - Yehuda Kopeliovitch [Almog] wants to help regarding Eilat.

       - Budget committee meeting in the afternoon. To my amazement it turns out they're continuing to pay recruits - to the head of a household with two children - P£ 1.200 per day, without children - 800 [mil] per day, unmarried - 600. There are close to 10,000 recruits. There's no draft notice except for age 18. Up to age 23 there is none, although about two weeks ago I sent the recruiting center [instructions regarding] a draft notice. Zvi [Ayalon] explains that many lack of clothing (but Zabrasky claims that he provided all the necessary money for clothing).

       How many new recruits are at the camps? - Close to 3,000.

       Why don't they know exactly? - Baruch [Rabinov] says that about 9,000 men have been enlisted, including about 2,000 from the old Palmach [including Palmach reserves], about 3,000 from the new enlistment, and 4,000 Hayish and garrison men. They believe that in February the number of recruits will reach 15,000.

       The costs will total P£ 17 food and clothing, P£ 3 salary - P£ 20 per person, total 300,000, family support for 3,000 [at] 23 each, about P£ 70,000. In March 20,000 men. This is 400,000 maintenance, support for families 92,000, total 492,000. The two months 862,000. 5 staffs for 5 brigades have been established. The budget required earlier was 1,500 per staff per month, now they're demanding 2,500 per month (?!). In each staff 28 men. - For two months P£ 25,000. Fuel and repairs of vehicles (20 per battalion - earlier they thought 42, why did they decrease here?) P£ 100,000 for two months, training for commanders (in Palmach too) P£ 50,000 (100 squad commanders in each brigade, 25 days each course, 300 squad commanders centrally, beginning on January 18, 25 days, a second course on February 20 for another 300 squad commanders, 300 platoon commanders beginning on February 5, 45 days, aside from professional courses (snipers, explosives experts, etc.).[)] Vehicles: the apparatus [career personnel] has 35 trucks and pickups, 53 passenger cars, 101 motorcycles. The Palmach has 34 trucks and pickups, 19 for passengers, 12 motorcycles. 143 trucks and pickups were brought from the army (paid). We ordered: 172 trucks and pickups, 29 passenger [car]s, 20 motorcycles, 100 armored vehicles, 50 Staghounds [armored cars]. Baruch is demanding 300,000 for vehicles and armoring: 118,000 for 172 cars, 4,500 for 40 cars from the army, 31,500 for 210 trailers, 22,000 for 115 motorcycles, 54,000 for armoring 120 cars, P£ 10,000 to repair army cars, P£ 10,000 for steel, in total 250,000. We'll have to pay 35,000 for the Internationals (armored vehicles), 10,000 for Staghounds.

       Regular budget: National Headquarters, Staff, club [?], garrison force (apparatus of 11 subdistricts and 3 cities - how many people?), training - 16,500 per month, guards 3,600, youth 4,500, hasbara 3,000, ongoing security 2,000, compensation and reparations 2,000, legal 1,000, etc. - 50,000 per month, for two months 100,000. Armament (upkeep, transport, repair, and weapons [)] 25,000 for two months, procurement 15,000, recruitment bureau 7,000, services (SHAI) 30,000, in total (excluding vehicles) 1,214,000.

       Investments: personal equipment 20 per person, 15,000 men, in total P£ 300,000, accommodation equipment 15 per person, P£ 225,000; battalion equipment (1,250 per battalion), 20 = P£ 25,000.  Vehicle[s] P£ 300,000, equipment and accommodation for 2,000 reinforcement[s] - P£ 20,000, Ta'as P£ 100,000, production 75,000, fortifications 500,000, air fleet (?), Zabrasky proposes 60,000, medical service 30,000, signal 20,000 in country, 60,000 abroad, sea craft 300,000, unanticipated [expenses] 25,000, procurement abroad $5 million - Total (aside from $5 million) P£ 2.04 million.

       Total [estimated expenses for two months]: upkeep P£ 1,214,000 + 2,040,000 equipment and investments in country, P£ 1,250,000 procurement abroad - in total approximately P£ 4.5 million.

       In my opinion it's not beyond our capability: $12 million is supposed to arrive over the [next] two months from America ([which is] P£ 3 million). A million [in] credit here, the rest [from] fundraising.

       - At six [Binyamin] Mintz and [Kelman] Kahana [from Po'ale Agudas Israel]: Promises were not kept. A) Kashrut: not maintained. Are there [kosher] kitchens in the camps? - There are. B) No training on Shabbat. C) Establishment of the Religious Department: Yosef Yizraeli promised them both on behalf of the NH [National Headquarters] two [representatives] in the Department, one from PAI [Po'ale Agudas Israel]. The director will be from HaPo'el HaMizrachi, his deputy from PAI. D) To train instructors and commanders from PAI (this was also promised by Yosef Yizraeli) and to include a PAI representative in the local headquarters. Mintz called for the inclusion of a PAI representative in the NH committee to oversee the Religious Department. This demand was not met.

       Adv. [Mendel] Scharf brought a list of aircraft that were offered to [S.Z.] Shragai for purchase. According to Scharf the Jews in England, France, and other countries that he visited do not know the severity of the situation.