יומנים > יומן - מלא 27/12/1947

Saturday, December 27, 1947

Bad news from the Negev: A group that set out to protect the pipeline was attacked and two were killed. A platoon that was sent to assist them ran into a British military column, which imprisoned them and took their weapons (35 rifles, 15 Stens, 4 [light] machine guns).

       I telephoned Golda [and told her] to request a meeting with the commissioner to [ask him to] release the men and return their weapons - otherwise we'll regard them [the English] as having joined the Mufti's war against us. I telegraphed Moshe [Sharett] but then I was informed that he's already on his way here and will reach Lod in two days.

       [We] received news of a fierce attack on Kefar Yavetz as well.

       In the evening a conversation with Yigael [Yadin] and Yisrael [Galili]. [We] need to switch to offensive defense. The places known for attacking need to be taught a lesson (Salameh, Jabalia, and the like).

       We decided to send 300 men to the northern Negev as a reserve, to replace our friends in the southern settlements from time to time.

       There are 15 Fargo vehicles [trucks] available for purchase - [P£] 15,000. There are also 6 armored vehicles to be bought from [Yitzhak] Arditi [a vehicle importer].

       - Shevah [Slavin] and Eliahu Sacharoff: Kaplan's instructions to [Jewish Agency treasurer] Baharal about giving P£ 50,000 were not fulfilled. Likewise he didn't receive money as against the half million sent to Pozner. The work will stop for lack of money. Shevah also objects to the production arrangement. The production of mine parts should not be relegated [to subcontractors] right away, for example, because in terms of coordination it might turn out that there's insufficient compatibility among the parts. First he should produce a trial series, and only after the produced devices are examined will it be possible to order mass production at various places.

       I promised to look into the financial situation - and the production arrangement with joint consultation.

       - Conversation with [Moshe] Sneh about the international position of the state as I described it in my article for HaPo'el HaTza'ir.