יומנים > יומן - מלא 26/03/1948

March 26, 1948 Reuven [Shiloah] reports in the name of Rabbi Berlin [Meir Bar-Ilan]: [Maurice] Hexter [of the Jewish Agency Executive in New York] suggested two generals for our ranks, and the assistant manager of Rotterdam Port, a Jew, is willing to come here. Reuven adds on his own: there's a proposal for cooperation with French Intelligence. Rosenhack (born in Zikhron[-Yaakov?]), working in Beirut, will be in touch with us. They suggest radio communication. Reuven proposes establishing a political SHAI [intelligence service] in Europe. An Italian Jew, Bracha, converted to Islam in order to divorce his Catholic wife; he served in American intelligence [and is] willing to work at our behest. Eitan Shafir-who worked with Bracha in northern Africa-will assist him. [Shiloah] will put him in touch with Menahem Ben-Haim [Haim Ben-Menahem]. Reuven reports in the name of Fritz [Eshet] that David [Shaltiel] has no [command] staff. There's no discipline. I demand the preparation of FP in large quantities-250 tons. Also 25,000 gas masks for soldiers, 100,000 for civilians. 500 small flamethrowers, 75 large. We'll need fuel for this! 25 tons for the small ones, 375 for the large ones. - "Abba" Glasberg is coming from France. He departed from Paris yesterday. The government sold lots of weapons to Syria, perhaps 150 million francs. Blumel and [Maurice] Fischer found out about it. He'll speak with [León] Blum and [Jules] Moch (Minister of the Interior) to delay. They [will be] transported in a Scandinavian ship. It will sail from Marseilles in a few days. Action [against the shipment of arms to the Arabs] is needed. By the way, they refused to give [Marc] Jarblum a visa to enter Eretz-Israel. - [Aharon] Becker: Supplies for the army won't be arranged without direct imports of canned meat, canned milk, dried fruit, cheese, canned fish (all from America and Canada). All of this for 5-6 months, plus flour and other things, P£ 700,000 (approx. $2.5 million) will be needed. A minimal plan needs $900,000, with $ 350,000 of it right away, two days from now) (to be transferred by [Yitzhak] Arditti [an arms dealer], who is going to New York). - The continuation of Fritz' demands [see above]: 2" rockets [52 mm mortar shells] for mounting on vehicles, two rockets per vehicle. 3" [81 mm mortar shells] on tripods, 30,000 shells. 300 turrets for vehicles-operable in all directions, an anti-air[craft] piece [weapon]-four barrels on a tripod. 6" mortars (approx. 150 mm]-50 are needed. 12,500 shells with explosives, 2,000 smoke shells, 3,000 incendiary shells. [On March 26, Ben-Gurion issued an order for the establishment of a police force as part of the defense system.]