יומנים > יומן - מלא 23/02/1948

[Monday,] February 23, 1948, Jerusalem

This morning I came to Jerusalem. The convoy set out at 6:15, and by 11 we'd only reached Bab el-Wad (we drove by way of Moledet, Na'an, Gezer). At that point I split from the convoy and hurried to Jerusalem. I went first to Ben-Yehuda Street. Such destruction I had not envisioned. I didn't recognize the streets - dreadful and horrifying. But I couldn't forget that bullies and murderers "of ours" had paved the way - in Haifa, King David, Goldschmidt House [British officers' club], and so on.

       - The Executive met. They didn't accept my proposal for an executive council ["provisional government"] for the territory of the Jewish state.

       David [Shaltiel] reports: An armored vehicle of [British] policemen alongside three vehicles with military personnel passed through the barricade [checkpoint] yesterday morning, were inspected by four Jews. [Later] the automobiles entered Ben-Yehuda Street. The armored vehicle returned immediately with the military personnel, and the material exploded.

       - I sat down with Granovski [Granot - KKL]: They decided to take the entire Negev project upon themselves, on the condition that they're not required to participate in defense elsewhere. Granovski will telegraph America today [to say] that Golda's funds are earmarked for defense.