יומנים > יומן - מלא 19/12/1948

Sunday, December 19, 1948

In the afternoon I returned to Tel Aviv [from Tiberias]. Teddy [Kollek] traveled with me and filled me in on the activity in America. They're collecting gifts for the army worth 1½ million dollars on a monthly basis; according to him this can be doubled. Clothes, food, spare parts are being collected. Since September, 65 planes have been sent here (including those that are on the way); it's possible to obtain more. What's worth a dollar there is worth a lira here. I asked that he meet with [Levi] Eshkol and [Yosef] Yaakovson. At the end of the new mission he wants to come home after two months. In his view there's no need for a delegation nor for anyone to replace him. Those doing the work in America suffice. The existence of a government of Israel is accepted throughout Jewry and there's no greater authority.

       - Government meeting. I opened with a political discussion. Perhaps aside from two "actions" that we still anticipate (in the Negev and the Tichon [Sharon Plain]) - we should make every effort to achieve peace or at least - an end to the war. Our public is drunk with victory - out of ignorance, just as a year ago it was afraid of the Arab armies - out of ignorance. For many years the main question will be - security, and not through military might alone. We've now reached the peak of our effort. We cannot recruit much more than 100,000. Security - only through ''aliya and large-scale settlement - in addition to advanced armament. These require an end to the war. The only solution, perhaps - is Abdallah.

       [Yitzhak] Gruenbaum disputes the action in the Tichon, insists on "annexing" Jerusalem (only what's in our hands) by eliminating the military government. Peace specifically with Abdallah. A separate Arab state [in western Eretz Israel] poses a threat - it will serve as a wedge for the Arab world and a center of irredenta [unliberated lands, lands subject to foreign rule]. Annexation [by] Abdallah would dissolve the League. And maybe we can explain this to the Russians as well.

       [Bechor] Sheetrit - Abdallah isn't interested in the Negev, but he is interested in the Triangle, and [we] should not clash with him here. Abdallah would view the expulsion of the Egyptians from the south as a service to him. An attack on the Triangle would unite the League.

       [David] Remez insists on standing firm, doubts it's advisable to fight Egypt, since we won't be able to go to Eilat, certainly not [to deal with] two fronts. It's possible that the English would provide assistance to Abdallah.

       Rosenblüth [Pinchas Rosen] regrets that the debate is taking place without [Moshe] Shertok - because B.G. hasn't presented the international factors. He only mentioned England. [We] don't know what America's position will be if we attack the Egyptians - Russia would certainly be happy about this. He agrees regarding action against Egypt. Objects to the demonstration proposed by Gruenbaum in Jerusalem. It contradicts Gruenbaum's opinion of Abdallah.

       [Aharon] Zisling - the Arab peacemakers are dependent on "their social image." Who is Abdallah? And what do Eretz-Israel Arabs fear - it all depends on the powers that will be discovered within them (it's hard to argue with this man [Zisling] - he thinks in terms of political theology, and one doesn't argue with theology). Nonetheless he agrees with B.G.'s conclusions, but the trend should be towards the entirety of the country (?! - How?)

       [Peretz] Bernstein - for two months now he's been convinced that peace is needed. It's not inevitable that England will be against us. Who among the Arabs is ready for peace - that's the main thing. He doubts that expelling the Egyptian [forces] will drive Egypt towards peace. What is the great achievement of such expulsion? If it's possible to achieve peace with Egypt - then this is more important than peace with someone else. [He] opposes changing the status of Jerusalem.

       [Eliezer] Kaplan views the situation as more severe than B.G. does. [Dr. Israel] Goldstein told him that America [US Jewry] will give us $65 million this year. [He] opposes action in the Triangle.

       [Mordechai] Bentov - the weakest link should be broken. At one time it was Lebanon. It would have been possible to go to Beirut, to establish a Maronite government [a government headed by Maronite Christians], and to make peace with it. Taking action against the Egyptians - yes, but what is the political purpose? Peace with Abdallah - good, but [Abdallah] does not belong to himself but to Britain. (And if Britain agrees to his making peace? - If he was convinced that England wants it, he would agree, but he's not convinced). And therefore it's better to have an independent Arab state in Eretz Israel, because Transjordan could unite with Iraq and they'd want to spread to Haifa. We need to establish our own "Gaza government" [like that established by the Arab League].

       [Yitzhak] Gruenbaum - peace now is only possible on the basis of status quo. This is not good. It's impossible without Jerusalem. A "Gaza government" of ours could only be Communist, and this means joining with Russia.

       I summarized: We launch the action in the Negev, don't change Jerusalem's status now. Hold talks with Abdallah on peace. When problems emerge in the talks, they'll be brought to the government.

       - In the evening Opera. To my left McDonald and his daughter, to my right Sergeyev [second secretary at the Soviet embassy] and another assistant to Yershov [the Russian ambassador]. Yershov was occupied and didn't come. They played "HaTikva." Sergeyev advised mopping up the Arab armies one by one. He wants to present me with data from Moscow.