יומנים > יומן - מלא 13/05/1948

May 13, 1948 The situation in the Etsiyyon Bloc is ghastly. The attack hasn't ended. It resumed this morning. Every unit [every settled locality in the Bloc] is acting on its own-internal communication has been broken off. We had 550 people there. Forty were killed in Kefar Etsiyyon alone, maybe 100 all told. Weapons and ammunition were sent by air but it isn't clear that they arrived because the airfield is occupied by tanks [in fact-Jordanian armored vehicles with artillery]. There are enough weapons in the Bloc for 400 men. There are two PIATs as well. Kefar Darom is also under severe attack by an Egyptian force. The situation on the road to Jerusalem is dire, too. There are large Arab forces [from Qawuqji's army] in the Ramallah-Latrun area. [I asked Yigael Yadin]: What do you suggest about the Etsiyyon Bloc?-Yigael answers: Don't send more weapons and ammunition. Order them to fight. Yigael was instructed to send a Yonogram [a cable delivered by a Signal Service dove] to the Bloc, and I added: "The People's Administration and the entire Yishuv share concern for and admiration of your unequal battle. Your previous battles not only added honor but helped directly and indirectly to save Jerusalem. [We are] sure that you will stand strong in your courageous defense, undeterred." A question was asked whether to attack the Legion on its way back from the Etsiyyon Bloc. Yisrael [Galili] and David [Shaltiel] think it is dangerous to attack them. There are only two small artillery pieces and two PIATs with 25 shells. There was a far-reaching discussion about whether to attack and attempt to destroy the [Arab] Legion [force] that had attacked the Etsiyyon Bloc. Yisrael, Zvi [Ayalon], [Yohanan] Ratner, and David opposed an attack. Yigael [Yadin], Eliahu [Ben-Hur], Lehrer [Moshe Zadok], Yosef [Avidar] favored it. My opinion: it would be a fatal error to let this part of the Legion leave the country or circulate within it, and if war with [that force] in Jerusalem may endanger our situation in Jerusalem, as Yisrael believes-then all the reserves of [the] Kiriati and Alexandroni [brigades] should be called up in order to occupy the territories along the road to Jerusalem rapidly so that we can send reinforcements to Jerusalem without restraint. Yigael believes we aren't strong enough to do this in the present situation. We concluded that this Legion [force] should be attacked via Jerusalem and that the [commander of] Etsiyyoni should choose the right place and decide whether our forces are up to the task. - A new complication at the air force command: Yisrael [Amir] is unwilling to accept any post in the air force other than commander. - Ephraim [Katzir] visited. He spent $ 20,000 on chemicals, $ 10,000 on 100 Sniperscopes (they are on the way by sea), 4 radar sets (not yet sent from America). A course was set up there (cost: $ 8,000) for 20 radar men from Eretz[-Israel]. They are on the way home, along with two American instructors. Biological materials $ 2,000 + $ 6,000 for haulage of chemicals and scopes, $ 3,000 for travel by [Dr.] Dale Pollack [a communication expert]. Ephraim is staying here [in Eretz-Israel] and will coordinate the operation instead of his brother. - 4:30. Kefar Etsiyyon has fallen. The pilot saw tanks in the kibbutz courtyard and picked up the following on the radio: "Kefar Etsiyyon has fallen. A harsh attack on Massuot Yitzhak is taking place. Command is under pressure to evacuate. Send claws (aerial bombs) and batteries and 303 ammunition to Massuot [Yitzhak]." The pilot saw large concentrations on the road and at the intersection (cars and Bren carriers). We consulted-Shkolnik [Eshkol], Yisrael [Galili], and I-and we decided to give them freedom of action. If they cannot keep fighting-destroy the weapons and put up a white flag. We cabled Etsiyyoni to enter into talks with the [British] army for an evacuation. - David [Shaltiel] returned to Jerusalem and Rabbi Fishman [Maimon] came. The plane took off for Jerusalem again and took Golda, but it turned around at Bab-el-Wad because the machine broke down. In the meantime, a cable from Jerusalem came (apparently sent before David arrived): "Armored Arab reinforcements are organizing in Jerusalem to head south. Due to the cease-fire rules [in Jerusalem], they cannot be acted against in our area. Only an operation from the air is possible. Jerusalem is emptying of Arab fighters who are heading for different fronts, exploiting the cease-fire in the city. They want permission to take this opportunity to capture important objectives, even if they'll have to open fire." - Aharon Remez is ill and I could not explore with him the arrangement that Yisrael Z[abludovsky-Amir] proposes. In the meantime, Yisrael Z. agreed to work [in the Air Service] without any official wording or statement until Aharon recovers. - Kiriati [M. Ben-Gal] brought me the signed agreement concerning the surrender of Jaffa to the commander of the Haganah. Gad Meknes nominates Y[itzhak] Chizik [Horpi] as military governor of Jaffa. In defense matters he will be subordinate to the commander of Tel Aviv. In everything else, he will operate under the instructions of the People's Administration. - At six: a meeting of the People's Administration to discuss the wording of the Declaration [of Independence] that Moshe [Sharett] has prepared. - In the evening, I edited the [declaration] one last time.