יומנים > יומן - מלא 22/12/1947

Monday, December 22, 1947 [Jerusalem]

[Ze'ev] Sherf: Storer [sp.], the [Mandate government's] civilian air transit commissioner agrees to remain in the state on the condition that we engage him for five years, P£ 2,500 per year. This requires a decision by the administration - maybe just three years are possible?

       Proposed for the Jerusalem committee: [David] Remez, Granovski [Dr. Avraham Granot], [Werner] Senator, Rabbi Fishman [Maimon], (his deputy M. Shapira), Schraibman [Reuven Shari]. [Sherf] also proposes Joseph [Dov Yosef].

       It's necessary [to pave] a number of roads - especially Holon - Moledet - Rishon LeZion. Need money to armor buses and for security roads.

       It's necessary to protect the state's assets - P.W. [Public Works Department] property, [plant] nurseries (I requested a detailed list, which I'll give to the Staff).

       [Yohanan] Ratner, [Ephraim] Ben-Artzi, Fritz [Eshet], and Yehezkel [Sahar] were tasked with formulating a plan and budget for a Jewish army for the state.

       - [Eliahu] Sasson: Right now there's a lull [in the fighting] - but it's a breakout-lull, which doesn't prevent isolated attacks on the roads and the like. In Sasson's view the lull occurred on its own, not per order from above, because the actions had commenced without the public being prepared. The village[s] didn't want the riots, and there was a shortage of funds, weapons, food, and they didn't set objectives ahead of time. The goal was to create tension and bloodshed - and this they achieved.

       We're eavesdropping on [telephone conversations of] the Arab Higher Committee, the mosque, Dr. Khalidi - and a few others. Also to the Arab party (Husaynis). That's apparently where the underworld is concentrated. From the conversations it turned out that there's no coordination with the Arab Higher Committee. Jaffa and Haifa do not consult with the Committee. The Mufti was issuing orders directly to Jaffa and Haifa, to second- and third-tier personnel - without the Committee's mediation or knowledge. In these orders he addresses "morale," maintaining the tension. It turned out that Ramle Arabs had robbed the people of Nablus [seized their weapons, as described below].

       The participants in the attack on Shkhunat HaTikva were from Nablus and Lod, not from Ramle. People from Nablus buried weapons in the orchard, people from Ramle came and removed them. The matter was brought before the Arab Committee. Its ruling is not known yet.

       In one of the conversations Khalidi informed [the Mufti] that he was told by the first secretary to issue a flyer [calling for] the actions to cease. Khalidi stated that he would not rush to issue flyers, today. The tension needs to be maintained. The Mufti commended him.

       Now the Arab Committee is looking for ways to coordinate the actions in the country. [Members] of the Arab Committee in Jerusalem: Khalidi, [Emil] Ghuri, Ahmed Hilmi; in Jaffa - Rafiq Tamimi, in Haifa - Mu'in al-Madi. Each one has a local national committee. The Mufti, Sheikh Hasan Abu-Saud (his post is the Temple Mount), and Ishaq Darwish are in Egypt. Jamal [al-Husayni] is in America. This is the Higher Committee.

       The [Arab] League, as far as we know from the press, from Arabs, and from conversations - has adopted 17 resolutions. Sasson has knowledge of nine (not their precise content, but close). [We] might learn from someone in Transjordan whether the resolutions are final, or still require approval from governments and parliaments, and whether Transjordan agrees with them. In light of these reports we're in a state [of] quiet before the storm. And as to the opposition - Sasson appreciates Ezra [Danin]'s endeavors, but the opposition should not be relied upon in the present circumstances, unless the Arab Higher Committee is defeated.

       - At ten Mrs. [Bertha] Schoolman [Hadassah representative]. I described the severity of the situation to her - war! Not only on the part of Eretz-Israel Arabs - but [Arab] states, even though they won't appear openly. The financial burden that fell upon us is tremendous, and Hadassah must take responsibility for the entire medical service, the scope of which is not currently apparent. We agreed that I'd send a telegram [to Hadassah in the US] and she'd also send a cable, and at the first opportunity I'll write to them about this.

       - Golda [Meir]: A senior official told her that they might leave the country before the designated date. They might leave before March (?). [Ya'akov] Shimoni states on the basis of Arab press that [Iraqi Foreign Minister] Nuri [Said] announced upon returning from London that the English will leave before May. Golda fears that they'll leave earlier - and will put the army in control of the country. Moshe [Sharett] postponed his trip here, because he's having talks with Cadogan [British ambassador to the UN], and the Security Council might meet in the coming days.

       - [Jewish Agency vice-treasurer (should be: treasurer?) David] Baharal: Received $ 500,000 from Kaplan, in exchange for [?] P£ 12,000 from APC [Anglo-Palestine Company, predecessor of Bank Leumi], there's an encoded cable from Kaplan and it's being deciphered. P£ 25,000 was sent to APC London from South Africa, also 75,000 was ordered to be sent immediately. Baharal was instructed to give Shevah P£ 50,000 here (he claims he doesn't have the money)[.] From KKL the administration is due (as against 40% of Bitzaron funds[)] P£ 300,000. Granovski admits that he owes [the funds], but claims he doesn't have [them] (he provided P£ 100,000, because he owed 400,000) - as against a quarter of a million for defense from KKL, P£ 120,000 were handed over via Berl (this was transferred to Zabrasky).

       - Zinger - production [defense-related chemical production at the Dead Sea potash company] is prohibited, [because] there are Arabs there and they'll find out (?!). [We] should also be concerned about the Jews. There are also technical difficulties. He proposes that Golda [Meir] speak with Novo [Novomeysky]. It's not true that Zinger told someone that production is possible - because there are difficulties. He advises sending an expert to Goldschmidt [sp.] (an engineer, either in Jerusalem or the Dead Sea) to clarify the difficulties.

       - I drafted a cable to Hadassah [to assume responsibility for all the war-related medical care].

       - [Arie Leo] Tegar [sp.] reports from South Africa: Rubin and Cranko are going to come here. Among other things they want to conclude a partnership between [the airline company] Aviron and Sky Taxies. In South Africa [they] can train twenty pilots and ten navigators over the course of two months, 15 mechanics over the course of 3 months. The men to be considered [potential candidates] would have served in aviation during the war. The payment is P£ 2-2.5 per flight hour, and the whole thing will cost P£ 10,000 ([training] pilots and navigators - P£ 6,000, mechanics P£ 4,000). Tegar wrote about this to West [?] in the air force and hasn't received an answer.

       The [Zionist] Federation [in South Africa] requests that 5-6 members of the "Shura" [Haganah] come to explain the situation to them (Greenberg is visiting there on behalf of the Revisionists).

       - At 12:15 [Eliahu] Sasson returned from a conversation with the Transjordan man [contact]. [Ya'akov] Shimoni and Sasson met with the doctor [Dr. Setty (sp.)]. They spoke more than they listened. The doctor had met the king [earlier] and asked what he would say. The king was in a good mood and said: Tell them: The League is not a league; the resolutions are not resolutions. The main question [during the League's discussions] was: whether to sever ties with the West or not? Primarily for Ibn Saud - to sever [ties] with the Americans? Ibn Saud is supported by four states (Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt) in refusing to sever [his ties]. Iraq and also Transjordan (possibly on behalf of England) called for severing. Transjordan also called for withdrawing from the UN. The statement they issued was intended to make up for the failure and compensate the [Eretz-Israel] Arabs. Samir Rifai [of Transjordan] acted as instructed, and when he couldn't - he left the meeting.

       Transjordan did not approve any resolutions, and they are not final. Iraqi Prime Minister (Saleh Jaber) came to see him [King Abdullah], along with Nuri Said, to allow passage for the Iraqi army to station itself on the Eretz-Israeli border and [he] refused for a third time (after the League's meeting).

       Sasson and Shimoni explained the situation in the League to him and what they decided (according to Sasson's reports). He [the doctor] agreed [confirmed] that all this has been decided (the resolutions in my hands [have indeed been adopted]), and said that in addition to the resolutions in our hands: Egypt explicitly announced that it would not provide anything other than money, propaganda, and political activity, but not weapons or armed forces (it might allow volunteers). Lebanon said that it cannot provide more than 500 rifles. Syria is taking the lead - and because of other considerations, not just against Eretz Israel. Saudi Arabia will provide dollars. When Samir Rifai left the League's meeting he returned to Transjordan. Fawzi el-Mulki (Transjordanian legate in Cairo) is also loyal to Abdallah. It's not clear whether the information reached the doctor from the king or from Fawzi ([according to] rumors: "or from Sasson").

       Sasson gave him a letter he'd prepared earlier, discussing the Arab Legion, and [the doctor] replied: The king said: It would be good if your press were to raise a ruckus about the Legion, and you insist that it be transferred to the Arab part - and you avoid clashing with it. Sasson gave him details about the Legion's shenanigans. He promised to convey these things to the king, and added: control [over the Legion] is in the hands of the English.

       Sasson discussed Syria's order [for weapons] in Czechoslovakia. [He was] stunned! He asked: What do you advise the king? The riots proved [to the Arabs] that they hadn't been ready. There's a lull [in the fighting] - for the sake of planning. We can disrupt [this].

       Does the king think that we'll follow this course - disrupting their planning by striking at them, and they'll realize that the talk about help is baseless? And Sasson added: Hasn't the time come for the king to speak clearly with the English and ask them what to do? That he should speak not only with Kirkbride, but also with the commissioner, and that he shouldn't allow only the Iraqis and Syrians and others to speak with the F.O. [Foreign Office]. That he should tell the British that the Syrians are arming themselves and it's directed against him - an ally of England.

       The doctor listened and asked for this in writing and then he'd send it to the king. Sasson added that if it can be coordinated - we'll strike a renewed blow, the king will come to the aid of the Arab part - and then we'll help him with money.

       They asked about the opposition [to the Mufti, among Eretz-Israel Arabs]. The doctor replied that for the past 15 days no one from the country has come to see the king. Only supporters of [Emile] Edde [former president of Lebanon, French loyalist] came to see him, and when they returned to Lebanon they were arrested by the Lebanese government, and the king sees Lebanon as his enemy.

       Shimoni adds: The king hasn't done anything to earn [the support of] the opposition or strengthen it. Only now is he thinking about buying newspapers here.

       Sasson poses the question to me: to go along with a lull [in the fighting] - or expedite war? Sasson advises attacking - and we'll choose the object and the place.

       How does the Arab press describe the riots? - That the Jews attack, commit atrocities, and eventually the Arabs win, because the Jews hit and run.

       Border transgressors should be attacked. After every action it's necessary [to issue] a report: how it went, its purposes and achievements, in Arabic and for writers abroad. This will affect the Arabs' morale. Need to hurt their transport - and in purely Arab places, along the Nablus Road!

       Arab commerce should be hurt - even if it hurts Jewish commerce. We can take the suffering - they can't. Need to disrupt the train service. Right now the trains are almost entirely Arab.

       Need to cause damage to the Egyptian and Syrian currency.

       How?

       Shimoni believes this is possible regarding Syria, because France sustains Syrian currency, and if we publicize this - they won't be able to do so.

       In Sasson's view the "May Plan" is no longer adequate. [We must] strike not here and there - but all transport all at once, all commerce, and so on.