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2.The GOC [General Officer Commanding] British troops in Palestine informed me
categorically last night that Arab Armies have not entered Palestine. He called recent
reports about an Arab invasion "complete moonshine". He stated that the Royal Air Force
had made full air reconnaissance, on the morning of May 2, of the northern area and
found nothing except three Jewish light planes on the Rosh Pinna airstrip. He said that
Arab irregulars and volunteers are still dribbling in, and estimated the present strength
of the "Yarmuk Army of Liberation" at 7,000 (other estimates have placed the number at
10,000). The fact that they are trained and equipped by the governments of neighboring
states is well known, but they do not form a component of their regular armies.
3.When asked whether the Jewish Agency was disseminating this and similar untrue
reports as propaganda as part of a war of nerves, or as planned psychological warfare for
the purpose hoodwinking the UN, the GOC replied that he thought that it was simply
because Jews wished to detract attention from recent Jaffa operation, and that if they keep
repeating these reports, they might one day become true, and the British would be blamed
for failure to take action.
4.As to the Arab Legion, the GOC stated that approximately 1500 men in Palestine
are at present under his command. They have been involved in a certain incident without
authority, and the GOC has reprimanded Glubb Pasha, Commanding Officer of the
Legion. All of the Arab Legion but two companies will leave Palestine by May 12. The
remaining companies will depart on May 14.
5.Replying to an inquiry as to the reason for the return to Palestine of British troops and
armor, the GOC said that the general situation had deteriorated seriously and that the IZL
(Irgun Zvai Leumi) might attempt aggression before termination of the mandate. Referring
to enforced truces in Jaffa and the Katamon suburb of Jerusalem, the GOC said that his
patience was exhausted with both sides. He made a significant remark which he repeated -
that he would attack relentlessly any regular force entering Palestine before May 15.
The main Jewish operations have been carried out by Hagana forces which were trained
and equipped with automatic weapons and mortars. Their relations with the British are
satisfactory and the GOC states that "the Jewish Agency and Hagana are determined not
to attack the British." Jewish operations at the beginning were defensive against Arab
attacks. However, they have now changed to a defensive offensive with the main object
being to improve defense positions and liquidate Arab interference. Up to the present,
the Hagana has not attempted to seize territory outside the partition boundaries for
motives of territorial aggrandizement. Full mobilization of man- and womanpower of the
Jewish community is still in progress. The Hagana leadership is good, with most leaders
trained in the British Army. Irgun Zvai Leumi and the Stern gang continue perpetrating
aggressive and irresponsible operations such as the Deir Yassin massacre and the Jaffa
operation. Until recently, the Irgun would start such operations; if successful, they were
continued by the Hagana; if not, they were repudiated by responsible Jewish quarters.
This has become more difficult now with a signature agreement between the Hagana and
the Irgun, providing for the Irgun to be under the Hagana but retain its identity and have
218 The Friday That Changed Destiny
categorically last night that Arab Armies have not entered Palestine. He called recent
reports about an Arab invasion "complete moonshine". He stated that the Royal Air Force
had made full air reconnaissance, on the morning of May 2, of the northern area and
found nothing except three Jewish light planes on the Rosh Pinna airstrip. He said that
Arab irregulars and volunteers are still dribbling in, and estimated the present strength
of the "Yarmuk Army of Liberation" at 7,000 (other estimates have placed the number at
10,000). The fact that they are trained and equipped by the governments of neighboring
states is well known, but they do not form a component of their regular armies.
3.When asked whether the Jewish Agency was disseminating this and similar untrue
reports as propaganda as part of a war of nerves, or as planned psychological warfare for
the purpose hoodwinking the UN, the GOC replied that he thought that it was simply
because Jews wished to detract attention from recent Jaffa operation, and that if they keep
repeating these reports, they might one day become true, and the British would be blamed
for failure to take action.
4.As to the Arab Legion, the GOC stated that approximately 1500 men in Palestine
are at present under his command. They have been involved in a certain incident without
authority, and the GOC has reprimanded Glubb Pasha, Commanding Officer of the
Legion. All of the Arab Legion but two companies will leave Palestine by May 12. The
remaining companies will depart on May 14.
5.Replying to an inquiry as to the reason for the return to Palestine of British troops and
armor, the GOC said that the general situation had deteriorated seriously and that the IZL
(Irgun Zvai Leumi) might attempt aggression before termination of the mandate. Referring
to enforced truces in Jaffa and the Katamon suburb of Jerusalem, the GOC said that his
patience was exhausted with both sides. He made a significant remark which he repeated -
that he would attack relentlessly any regular force entering Palestine before May 15.
The main Jewish operations have been carried out by Hagana forces which were trained
and equipped with automatic weapons and mortars. Their relations with the British are
satisfactory and the GOC states that "the Jewish Agency and Hagana are determined not
to attack the British." Jewish operations at the beginning were defensive against Arab
attacks. However, they have now changed to a defensive offensive with the main object
being to improve defense positions and liquidate Arab interference. Up to the present,
the Hagana has not attempted to seize territory outside the partition boundaries for
motives of territorial aggrandizement. Full mobilization of man- and womanpower of the
Jewish community is still in progress. The Hagana leadership is good, with most leaders
trained in the British Army. Irgun Zvai Leumi and the Stern gang continue perpetrating
aggressive and irresponsible operations such as the Deir Yassin massacre and the Jaffa
operation. Until recently, the Irgun would start such operations; if successful, they were
continued by the Hagana; if not, they were repudiated by responsible Jewish quarters.
This has become more difficult now with a signature agreement between the Hagana and
the Irgun, providing for the Irgun to be under the Hagana but retain its identity and have
218 The Friday That Changed Destiny
