[...] Among our soldiers in the city there are 15% who support them (i.e. the Irgun) - namely, would not obey any order to fire at them. Some might even support them in practice. There are also suspects in the military police. Moshe Dayan believes that it would be advisable to send military policemen here from Tel Aviv...Moshe thinks that the Jerusalem forces would not act against the Irgun. Not only because there are numerous relatives, but also because up to now they have operated together as a result of the agreement.... Even the senior command does not understand why we should not operate together with the Irgun. I asked Moshe what kind of force would be required - would it be necessary to use force? Moshe thinks that two battalions would be needed (from outside Jerusalem, with an armored force in the two battalions, with their commanding officers).At the height of the negotiations with Greenboim, when settlement seemed close, we heard about military preparations to attack the battalion and disband the Irgun by force. I was summoned to an emergency meeting at battalion HQ, where it was decided to fortify the camp area and make all the necessary preparations to repel the attack. According to Shmuel Katz, these preparations were made for deterrent purposes, and everything possible would be done to avoid fraternal strife. I was not in favor of these developments and feared that if shooting began, the senior command would lose control of the situation. After the meeting I stayed behind for a tete a tete with Shimshon (Natan Germant), battalion Commanding Officer, and asked to be released from the imminent clash with the IDF. Shimshon understood my feelings, and we agreed that after preparing the fortified positions, I would be granted furlough and could go to Tel Aviv again.
I summed up: the Intelligence Service will examine the staff officers and the commanders. No one under suspicion will remain in a key position, at the center of information or in a unit, which deals with the Irgun. The military police will be replaced; the police will be checked to exclude anyone who takes bribes as well as Irgun supporters. Someone will be sent from the general staff to draw up a plan of action and assess the force and equipment required.
* The Irgun was to disband and its fighters would enlist in the IDF.
* Irgun units were to remain intact within the IDF. * Irgun units would not be sent outside Jerusalem. * The oath of allegiance taken by each soldier would require him to serve in Jerusalem and nowhere else. * These conditions were to remain valid as long as Jerusalem was under Jewish rule. |