יומנים > יומן - מלא 17/01/1949

Monday, January 17, 1949

In the morning a second cable from Rhodes: “At midnight Riley gave us his proposal for conducting the withdrawal from Faluja. He won’t give it [the proposal] to the Egyptians before hearing our response. He proposes beginning the evacuation on Sunday, the 23^rd of this month. He assesses that the evacuation will take 5 days. The Egyptians will be allowed to take all their equipment, on the assumption that there’s a chance (that the agreement will be signed?) this week. We request that you allow us to agree to this proposal.

       “We’re of a mind to inform Bunche and Riley that if by the 23^rd of this month it turns out that there’s no chance of reaching an agreement, we won’t allow the evacuation. Regarding heavy equipment, we’ll strenuously object, but we won’t blow up the agreement over this matter.”

       I suggested to Moshe [Sharett] that one clause be transposed: to agree to this, if by then it turns out that there is an agreement. Moshe thinks that this means blowing up the agreement.

       – At 10 a meeting with the front commanders [see below].

       Yigal Allon reported on the operation in the Negev.

       Moshe [Sharett] also came to the meeting; we agreed to reply that we’ll release a third [from Faluja] by the 23^rd of this month, if it becomes clear to us that there’s a solid chance of signing [an agreement]. The remainder after the signature.