יומנים > יומן - מלא 14/03/1949

Monday, March 14, 1949

This morning I returned to Tel Aviv.

         – First regular meeting of the new government. Moshe [Sharett] said goodbye in the middle of the meeting and flew to America.

         – In the afternoon Reuven [Shiloah] came to see me: There are three possibilities 1) To sign an armistice [agreement with Jordan] based on the current [border] lines (including ‘Aqaba) –this agreement will be possible in a week. 2) To reach a specific arrangement in Jerusalem, i.e. the evacuation of Latrun, a new Jewish road to Mount Scopus, the transfer of the police building [near Giv’at HaTahmoshet (Ammunition Hill), in northern Jerusalem] to Jews and bypassing Sheikh Jarrah from Sanhedria, in exchange for the possibility of traveling to Bethlehem (transferring the Bethlehem road to their custody). They’re demanding the evacuation of Talpiot, Ramat Rahel, and Deir Abu-Tor. 3) Something intermediary – that is, the current situation, plus greater freedom [of movement] for Jews to Mount Scopus and for Arabs to Bethlehem.

         There’s also the problem of the Triangle – either maintain the existing lines, or refuse to conduct negotiations unless they agree to amend the line. And if they don’t agree? To threaten them with “action.”

         In my opinion [we] shouldn’t rush to “action” now, before the matter of Eilat has not been fully resolved. Presumably Bevin will be seeking an opportunity to take revenge against us following the embarrassing failures he experienced because of us in El-‘Arish and Eilat. A premature “action” could give him this opportunity.

         But Reuven is concerned that in the meantime the Iraqis will transfer their position to Transjordan and soon we’d be facing the fact that the Legion has captured the Triangle.

         There’s also pressure from Bunche to sign an agreement with Lebanon.

         – Reuven proposes that there be a Defense representative in the Ministry of Aliya [Immigration], without whose agreement they won’t give visas to the English. So far the arbiter in this matter has been Bachar [sp.]. This is a good proposal.

         – Zalman Lifshitz – tomorrow he and Comay are meeting with a subcommittee of the Conciliation Commission: Wilkins (American), de la Tour du Pin, and Yalcin’s deputy. Z.L. has a plan for exchanges – the north to us, the south (Mekor Haim, Talpiot, etc.) to the Arabs. I told him to make do with the proposal for the Old City being under international rule; regarding the rest we’ll try to discuss matters with the Arabs and reach a compromise.

         – Ya’akov [Dori] – [they] heard [on wiretap] that from the twelfth of this month until the end of March, the Iraqis will be transferring the forward positions to the Legionnaires. Iraqis will “convene” in Tubas, Nablus, and Jericho, unclear whether for the purpose of retreating to Iraq or as a reserve force for the Legion. [In the General Staff they] want to take action this weekend against Tira, Kafr Qassem, Umm al-Fahm, and ‘Ar’ara. I told Ya’akov my considerations and concerns regarding Eilat and the possibility of provoking Bevin.

         Ya’akov raises the question of discharges and reorganization. If we decide on 6 brigades per the Operations Department proposal for a period of consolidation, this means 45,000 soldiers (including Personnel Department and Logistics Department services). In Ya’akov’s view it will take 3-4 months to carry out the discharge (!) Zadok brought me additional material. According to him if we reduce the army to six brigades, it would be easier if first we “conscript” the 6 brigades, that is, we’d decide on the men who are not being discharged – and discharge the rest. This would also require two months in his view.