יומנים > יומן - מלא 14/11/1948

Sunday, November 14, 1948

This morning I returned from Haifa. Renana [Ben-Gurion's daughter] left this morning for Paris and Zürich as an emissary of the Science Corps.

       [Joseph] Linton telegraphs on behalf of Marcus Sieff [to say] that in very important high-level spheres they advised him that we shouldn't become embroiled in a war with Abdallah unless we can prove that he attacked us. In London there are people who would be pleased [with] such a development at this time. Instead, they advised us to make every effort to reach an agreement with Abdallah while insisting on the Negev and the Galilee remaining in our hands.

       - A meeting with [Moshe] Zadok, [Menachem] Bader, and [Mordechai] Bentov regarding the organization AMAL [a military reserves organization, for fortification works, etc.], releases [from military service] for economic reasons and additional ages [age groups], from 40 and older. We agreed that a committee of three would be in charge of recruitment and classification: one from the Ministry of Defense, one from the Ministry of Labor, one from the Personnel Department. The recruitment center won't intervene in this decree. This committee will also set its own procedural practice. It will decide on three types: recruits for 4 days per month, for 6 days, for 14 days. For the first 48 hours they will receive wages. Commanders (of districts and fronts) will be prohibited from recruiting people [for labor] outside of the framework of AMAL.

       - [Walter] Eytan brought me Bunche's order to withdraw from our positions in the Negev, to leave Beersheva, and to appoint an Egyptian government for Beersheva (!).

       - 500 tons of airplane fuel, 225 tons of steel plates for airports (PSP [pressed steel plates]) have arrived in the country. 1,200 tons of aerial bombs and explosives (300 tons will be unloaded now) - the storm got in the way. The first 10 Sherman [tanks] are due to arrive this week.

       - Manpower as of November 4, 1948: Infantry 29,233 (st. [standard]) 35,433, sh. [shortfall] 62,999), garrison 13,663 (st. 15,389, sh. 1,655), Artillery Corps 3,939 (st. 7,005, sh. 3,069), mortars 875 (st. 2,234, sh. 1,359), Engineering Corps 2,630 (st. 4,998, sh. 2,364), Air Force 6,067 (st. 7,500, sh. 1,334), Navy 2,853 (st. 2,975, sh. 113), paratroopers 305 (st. 347), services and camps, etc. 31,630 (st. 35,674, sh. 3,957), Palmach staff 725 - total 91,952[,] st. 111,555 (sh. 20,089) - add to this: R.M.1 [combined list?] 267, ill and wounded 4,134, prisoners 135, in intake [facilities] and training bases 2,728, in transit 577, in discharge camps 135, missing 624, deserters 1,139, POWs 952, fallen 2,978 (overall total 105,621).

       - Ya'akov [Dori] and [Moshe] Zadok: I asked about the special unit and about sending personnel to Jerusalem. Zadok promised that the unit is coming along and that soon 250 men will be sent to Jerusalem - allowing for the release of 250 men.

       I asked Ya'akov [Dori] to immediately issue instructions to Yigal Allon to send military forces to Kurnub [Mamshit], Ras Zuweira [Rosh Zohar], and ''Ein Husub [Hatzeva].

       - J. McDonald asked to see me. I invited him to dine with me at Miriam [Hotel]. He told me with great satisfaction that he'd been invited to Paris [to the UN General Assembly]. He wanted to know what's happening. Unfortunately I haven't had news from Paris for a few days now. I told him about the letter from [Dr.] Mohan [sp.] - [on behalf of] Bunche - regarding our withdrawal from the Negev. He attributes tremendous, excessive value to his trip. But it certainly won't hurt. It appears from the newspapers that [Stanton] Griffs, the American ambassador to Cairo, was also invited to Paris.

       - At 4 government meeting.