יומנים > יומן - מלא 11/08/1948

Wednesday, August 11, 1948

In the morning a meeting with [Dov] Yosef, Moshe Dayan, Reggie [Mordechai Rosenberg-Kidron], David [Karon] from SHAI [Information Service, i.e., intelligence] on the situation in ETZEL and LEHI. I received the figures on personnel and weapons. ETZEL has a daily newspaper, HaHerut, which is distributed in the thousands.

         ETZEL supporters in the city - Neturei Karta in Meah She'arim and Bet Israel, and a small part of Ge'ula that borders Bet Israel, and the neighborhoods of Mahane Yehuda and Nahla'ot: Nahalat Zion (Sephardim), Nahalat Ahim (Yemenites), Zichron Yosef (Kurds), Shkhunat HaBukharim [Bukharan Quarter] (many Bukharan in ETZEL). For the [Zionist] Congress the Revisionists received 3,300 votes in Jerusalem. Since then support for ETZEL has increased, especially since Begin's arrival. Among our soldiers [in the city], 15% support them - that is, won't obey an order to shoot them. Some might even support them actively. There are also suspects in the military police (280 [men]). Moshe [Dayan] thinks it's better to send military police from Tel Aviv here. The MP [military police] in Jerusalem haven't received training (except for, perhaps, 60 men) - Moshe believes that the Jerusalem army won't act against ETZEL. Not only because of the many relatives - but because until now they worked together by agreement, participated in ETZEL's [military assemblies?], and ETZEL in the army's [military assemblies?]. Even Staff personnel don't understand why they shouldn't work together with ETZEL. I asked Moshe how much force is needed - [if] it becomes necessary to use force. Moshe believes they will barricade themselves, plant mines in their vicinity, and that two battalions are necessary (from outside of Jerusalem, with armored force within both battalions, including their commanders).

         I summarized: SHAI will assess all the Staff personnel and their commanders. No suspect will remain in a key position, in an information center, or in a position that handles ETZEL. Replace the MP, assess the police, and remove any bribe-taker and ETZEL man. Someone will be sent from the Staff to formulate an action plan [and] estimate the necessary force and the equipment needed.

[LEHI]

         According to SHAI information, in Jerusalem LEHI has: a combat brigade, divided into three platoons - [in total] 120 fighters, youths aged 15-17 (in camp) 80, girls and older actives (over age 30) 100. In total 300 personnel.

         Equipment: 40 Stens (20 bought in Abu Ghosh from Arabs), 40 rifles, 15 Bren machine guns (mostly stolen from our army), 3 heavy vehicles, 5 PIATs and ammunition, 200 Mills [grenades], 2,000 kg explosives, 12,000 .303 bullets.

         Bases: A main base in the neighborhood of Talbiyya, a youth base in [the neighborhood of] Sheikh Badr, a base and supply warehouses in Lifta. The commanders are stationed on the bases, except for Yehuda Schneerson, David Siton (reporter for HaBoker newspaper), Yehoshua Zettler from Kefar Saba - who live in the city.

         Vehicles: Jeeps - 7, armored vehicle (a small pickup), 6 taxis, 4 motorcycles, 2 trucks.

         Orientation: Maintaining an underground, with the aim of delivering a blow to the international regime, striking at UN personnel, likely to have a small number in the underground, the rest would join the Israeli army and operate as a LEHI cell within the army. Some want to join the army; the rest are idle for lack of something to do. Public support is concentrated in the neighborhoods of Sha'arei Hesed, Bet Israel, and [among] yeshiva students. There is a readiness to clash with the [Israel] Defense Force. The influencer - Dr. Israel Scheib [Eldad]. Newspaper: HaMivrak; a broadcasting station in the Talbiyya base.

ETZEL

         A combat battalion numbering 360, composed of 3 gundas [military units (archaic)] in 3 companies [3 gundas in each company], a mortars platoon - 20, military police - 20, information [intelligence] platoon - 15, MS [medical service] - 25, drivers - 30, youth (15-17) - 70, girls - 100, district staff - 15, Kenya exiles platoon - 40, in total 695.

         Equipment: Rifles and submachine guns - one and a quarter per fighter, Bren machine guns - one and a half per squad. PIATs - 2 (small number of shells), canisters [grenades] - 1,000 (taken from the police academy), 2" mortars - 30 (few shells), 3" mortars - 10-15, reserve of 15 barrels, many shells, [heavy] machine guns - about 5 (Browning, stolen in Rosh Ha'Ayin), explosives - 1,000 kg. Half a million English rounds, 3,000 gallons gasoline - taken to Jerusalem, and here they received from the army.

         Bases: The main one in the neighborhood of Katamon, a base in Rehavia (girls and a hospital), apartments and offices in the city, small-scale landmines manufacturing, HaHerut daily newspaper, posters.

         Orientation: Some are inclined to join the army, an inclination in the command to continue as an independent body, opposition to the demilitarization of Jerusalem: two platoons are stationed on Mount Zion and in Shikun Pagi.

         Support among Mizrahi [Eastern] communities and in the neighborhoods of Ge'ula, Zikhron Yosef, Mahane [Yehuda], and Nahla'ot. Readiness to clash with army among 70% of the people. Supporters: [Prof. Yosef] Klausner, Dr. Y. [Yosef Yoel] Rivlin, Dr. Y. H. Yeivin, Rabbi Zishy [Brandwein] [sp.], [Avraham] Elmalich. In recent weeks public support has increased (following the Altalena incident, the petition, and Begin's visit). Most of the support is among Mizrahi communities and in the neighborhoods of Ge'ula and Bet Israel.

         - Dr. Yosef is calling for 250 special policemen to protect foreigners and monasteries. They can even be above [age] 35. For now Moshe Dayan will make 180 soldiers available to Yosef.

[Tel Aviv]

         At two I returned to Tel Aviv - to the government meeting.

         In the evening a discussion with the Staff about the situation in the units. Yigael [Yadin], Yosef [Avidar], and [Moshe] Zadok, who returned from visiting the fronts, found the overall situation to be not bad - the men have faith in their power, they're equipped, and the brigades just need to be filled.

         Afterwards I clarified a series of appointments and arrangements with Ya'akov.

         - At 11 p.m. I also visited the Histadrut council. In a long and pathetic speech Berl Repetur complained about the shekhina [spirit of God] abandoning the Histadrut council. The truth is - he and his associates abandoned the shekhina when they announced at the Histadrut conference (on the halutz [pioneer] question): Whatever the Histadrut decides - we'll do what suits us.