יומנים > יומן - מלא 20/12/1947

[Saturday,] December 20, 1947

[Binyamin] Mintz is leaving for America on Tuesday (in three days) for two months. He requests three things: [that] his substitute in the Defense Committee [be Rabbi Kalman] Kahana; the establishment of a religious committee of three – one of their own [Po’ale Agudas Israel], one from HaPo’el HaMizrachi, one from Haganah; their participation in local headquarters. He also wants I. M. Levin [Rabbi Isaac Meir of Agudas Israel] included in the Mobilization Fund [administration].

       – [Yosef] Weitz, Herzfeld, Shkolnik [Eshkol], Kozlowski [Pinchas Sapir]: I demanded the plot of land in Nahalat Yitzhak [for a rifle factory – see above] from Weitz. [He] requests that someone go with him tomorrow to look at this plot or another one.

       And as to the Negev: I said that this week we took care of reinforcements for the settlements in the Negev, for the protection of the settlements. It’s not enough: [we] need to send a larger force in order to save the Negev. Without a sufficient force there’s no guarantee that the Negev will remain in our hands. Two bridges [settlement chains] should be built – one to Bet Eshel in the south, and the second to Eilat (and to start in Eilat). Weitz proposes establishing a few settlements in the corridor to the Negev. All of the northern Negev land belongs to private owners, and so too the land around Eilat. In contrast the land of the ‘Arava (Maliha [sp.]) and Kurnub – they have no owners.

       Weitz proposes a commissioner for the Negev. In my opinion it’s better to have a committee of three: Weitz, a representative of Mekorot [the national water company], a representative of the “Organization.” This committee would handle land, settlement, and security. The P£ 200,000 required immediately will be budgeted [as follows:] 50,000 from the KKL, 50,000 from defense, 25,000 from the UJA, 25,000 (a loan) from Mekorot, 25,000 (a loan) from the Histadrut. Still missing 25,000 (Solel Boneh?).

       I asked Weitz if there are lands in the Jerusalem Hills.

       Opposite Saris [today – Sho’eva] – near the second pumping station for Jerusalem – 140 dunams. There’s a building on a hill near Latrun, at the intersection of the Tel Aviv and Hulda roads [where Kibbutz Nahshon is located today] – 142 dunams.

       – Zabrasky: Urgent expenditures: upkeep of recruits etc. He’ll cover [pay for] anything urgent, and on Tuesday we’ll set a budget.

       – 8 p.m.: Ya’akov [Dori] and Yigael [Yadin]: Prepared a written summary. Orally: The main problem is shortage of weapons. Production of Sten bullets has now reached 90,000 a week. [Our] responses [to Arab strikes] were few and late. Need to predetermine the authority of commanders [to respond]. Hayish [Haganah Field Corps] staffs should be turned into battlefield staffs. Dan Epstein proposes 30 men for each brigade staff.

       The management (administration) – a deputy for Ya’akov [is needed], to relieve him of all administrative concerns (who’s the man? Yigael: Zvi Lashchiner [Ayalon], an organized man and well-versed in Staff affairs. Currently he’s handling oversight and finances).

       Logistics problem (housing, equipment, etc.) – should be split up. Each brigade needs to be independent (Yosef [Avidar] currently coordinates logistics). Transport: requires separation. The Negev needs to know how to repair its own vehicles.

       Negev: Might need a serious commander, who can decide for himself. Communication with the center might be unstable. It might be [necessary] to have a civilian alongside the commander – to decide on political questions. Maybe [we] should build a base for food, weapons, etc. in the northern Negev (Nir-Am). Also a strong airfield, manpower, fuel.

       At present there are about 1,500 people in the Negev. In my opinion it’s necessary to double this number – and to immediately formulate a plan for equipment, armament, food, boats, planes, and A. [armored] vehicles.

       Currently conscripted: 1,000 Hayish in the north (including Haifa), 700 Hayish [in the] center, 600 Tel Aviv, 300 south, 500 Negev (Palmach), 1,000 Hayish Jerusalem.

       600 Palmach: few in the Upper Galilee, most of them in the settlements between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. 3 platoons are securing the road to Jerusalem: 1 Tel Aviv – Mikve [Yisrael], 1 – Hulda, 1 – Neve Ilan; and another 1,000 garrison force are maintained daily, mainly in the cities.

       Arab SHAI [Information Service, i.e. intelligence] [must be] near the Staff (need to transfer part of the Arab Department from Jerusalem here).

       Morale among the public is low, even among the Haganah. Need a propaganda department with five divisions: 1) propaganda among Arabs. 2) hasbara [explanation, public relations] and propaganda aimed at the Jewish public (units with loudspeakers). 3) liaison with the press, and also 4) censorship of the press (Haaretz publicized the structure of the “Organization,” all the details about the arrangements for securing transit to Jerusalem). 5) propaganda for “Organization” members.

       Ya’akov [Dori]: Aside from a weapons shortage – there’s a problem with the senior command. There aren’t enough commanders managing battlefield operations and Staff work. It’s a matter of experience and learning. How [can we] overcome this? Need a big expert from outside to guide the “Organization” members. There’s a Jewish lieutenant-colonel, [Mordechai “Monty”] Green, age 36, in the country, was on the front in India and Sudan, came to the country, got married here, and wants to help – without his wife knowing.