יומנים > יומן - מלא 26/09/1948

[Sunday,] September 26, 1948

A delegation from HaPo'el HaMizrachi - Dr. [Moshe] Kurtz, [Ya'akov] Greenberg, [Moshe] Unna: they're complaining that HaPo'el HaMizrachi members aren't rising in rank beyond company commander, one battalion deputy commander. There are also cases of demotion: Haim Amitai (Recht) [sp.] from ''Ein HaNatziv, was a regional and company commander, now commander of a training base in Bethlehem [of Galilee]. I replied: It's possible that their complaint is valid, but I don't know how to fix such a thing, because a battalion or company commander cannot be imposed from above. It may be necessary to examine the entire system of appointments - how satisfactory and functional it is. They're complaining about a dearth of officials from their own circles, and lack of publicity in the Cultural Division for [the battle of] Tirat Zvi, etc.

       Finally they raised the question of religious [military] companies. In principle, Unna opposes religious companies, but now there's a need for it in practice. In Golani, the 13th Battalion, there's a religious company with a religious commander. They're complaining about delegations (to America, to Europe, and to Cyprus [immigrant transit camps]) having departed without a religious soldier. That was a failing.

       They also have demands regarding the release of religious women from the WC [Women's Corps]. I proposed a special camp, a model, of a religious WC. They agree, on the condition that [religious women's] categorical release be rescinded. I disagreed. First we'll arrange the model camp, if it succeeds - perhaps we'll be able to rescind the release.

       - Yosef Weitz: There are about 100,000 Arab refugees in the central Galilee, earning 7 grush per day. If they give us the Galilee [per Bernadotte's plan], there's a danger that all the [Arab] refugees will concentrate there. There are cases of Ramle and Lod refugees reaching Gaza and Majdal by way of Ramallah, because [they] think that from Gaza it will be easier for them to return to Ramle and Lod.

       What should [we] do? If not war, [we] should "harass" [the Arabs in the Galilee] incessantly.

       By whom? - By Eretz-Israeli Arabs, Syrians, and Lebanon's gendarmerie [?]. In the south, too, [we] should harass [them] and allow the refugees [to head] eastward [to the area controlled by the Legion] - because they won't head seaward and they're not being allowed to enter Egypt.

       Who will handle the harassment? [Reuven] Shiloah, assisted by the [refugee] committee of Weitz, Zalman Lifshitz [Leef], and Ezra Danin. Weitz requests that I issue instructions to Shiloah.

       Is it possible to settle abandoned land? The fate of the land, [what will be the] source of funding, who are the people to settle it? - In Weitz's view 100 villages should be settled. The government of Israel should oversee abandoned plots of land. Even if Arabs return, there's a surplus of land. This surplus will be turned over for settlement and money will be paid for it. From 100 settlements there's a surplus of half a million [dunams], this will be sold to the KKL for P£ 10 million. The government will release this money and some of it will be given to the [Jewish] Agency for settlement. This territory of half a million [dunams] will not be contiguous - but spread out in accordance with defense needs.

       - [Levi] Eshkol: So far we've received $ 32 million from America. When Mordechai Kiki [Kikayon] returns, he'll bring all receipts. Eshkol is inclined to go [to the US] for a few days to clarify matters. [Yosef] Gurion is going to join the Defense Ministry for purposes of rehabilitation.

       - [Attorney Moshe] Doukhan: He's baffled that he wasn't called upon to help with the building of the state. Rosenblüth [Pinchas Rosen] believes that Doukhan will be invited when the cadaster [land registration] process begins. Doukhan does not think [they] should wait until then, although for now he's busy as a lawyer in Jerusalem and a member of the judicial council. He was chairman of the [Jewish] Agency's committee on matters involving government officials, and he proposes himself as administrative commissioner: such a commissioner sets the law for hiring officials, salary, pension, oversees administrative ethics. In England this office is not part of the government, but independent, and is appointed by the government. He proposes himself for one of the two positions: arranging the lands [setting up the land system] - or managing the administrative apparatus.

       - In the afternoon government meeting. A Jerusalem delegation - [Dov] Yosef, [Haim] Salomon, [Daniel] Auster, [Avraham] Elmalich, [Dr. Feivel] Meltzer, and Schraibman [Reuven Shari] - with their candid and forceful remarks they helped overturn the idiotic decision adopted previously by a majority of 5 to 4 - to give preference to an international Jerusalem over a Jewish Jerusalem, if towards this end it becomes necessary to turn some of Jerusalem over to the Arabs.

       After that there was a discussion about our approach at the UN, and about my proposal to attack and conquer Latrun. By a majority of [Pinchas] Rosenblüth, [Moshe-Haim] Shapira, [Isaac Meir] Levin, [Peretz] Bernstein, [Eliezer] Kaplan, [David] Remez, Moshe [Sharett] (Sheetrit?) against [Yehuda Leib] Fishman, [Yitzhak] Gruenbaum, [Aharon] Zisling, [Mordechai] Bentov, and against me the proposal was rejected.

       Happily for us these [people] didn't have to vote in order to carry out most of the actions undertaken over the [past] year.

       - In the evening I prepared [holiday] greetings for the army on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah.

       - At the [Mapai Executive Committee?] members' meeting yesterday. Six members left the Executive Committee: Ziama [Aran], Ada [Fishman-Maimon], [David] Remez, [Mordechai] Namir, Golda [Meir], Friedman [Shmuel Elyashiv]. Bebe [Idelson] and Marminski [Israel Merom] - deputies. Grabovsky [Meir Argov] rejoined. Also joining will be Gurfinkel [Haim Gouri], Isserzon [Zeev On], Yehudit Simhonit, for half-time position Hillel Dan, Elik [Shomroni] (currently a deputy); Isserzon and Dan - to the workers' association bureau. For trade unionization - [Aharon] Becker or Finkelstein [Yitzhak Eilam]. For the treasury - Gurfinkel or Isserzon. For hasbara [explanation, public relations] and organization - Yehudit [Simhonit] or Kossoy [Yona Kesse]. For the employment bureau - Grabovsky.

       There have also been changes in the party bureau. [These] were: Isserzon, secretary, in trade unionization [Moshe] Gertzberg [sp.], for ''aliya - Mordechai Yaffe [sp.], for abroad - [Aryeh] Ofir, for the army - [Yehiel] Duvdevani, for Beit Berl - [Moshe] Soroka, treasurer - Moshe Slepter [sp.] (just left), for youth - Elhanan [Yishai] (currently in the army). [Pesach] Rudnick [sp.] was handling the hasbara department - has enlisted.

       Ziama [Aran] was nominated as party secretary. He has these conditions: 4 of our friends [Mapai members] for the coordinating committee (of seven) in the Executive Committee: Yehudit [Simhonit], Arbel [Akiva] (Globman [ultimately he changed his name not to Arbel but to Govrin]), Pinhas [Lavon], and [Yosef] Sprintzak; [Aharon] Becker for trade unionization, [Shmuel] Yavne'eli as [editor of] HaPo'el HaTza'ir [instead of Yitzhak Lufban, who passed away] instead of the workers' association, Hillel Dan and Isserzon for the workers' association, Grabovsky for ''aliya absorption, Elik [Shomroni] instead of Baruch [Osnia] for youth; [Ze'ev] Herring to the party bureau for organization and hasbara, someone else for ''aliya instead of Mordechai Yaffe [sp.], Hillel Cohen treasurer, [receiving] a budget in advance.