Page 26 - big friday
P. 26
Ben-Gurion, accompanied by his wife Paula, arrives at the ceremony of
the Proclamation of the State, a few minutes before 4pm
last months, his strategy had been based on defense of each Jewish position and of each
territory that had been allocated for the Jewish state, against attacks by Arab gangs. Now
that regular forces from neighboring countries had appeared, Ben-Gurion understood
that the era of local defense of each position was over. The decisive factor on the battlefield
would be the overall struggle of army against army – the Jewish army against the invading
armies. "The main thing," he told the members of the General Staff, "is a blow to the enemy
forces, not the retaining of positions… we need to concentrate our forces." What this
meant – as he had already hinted the previous day at the People’s Administration – was the
removal of defending forces and weapons from many communities within the territory
of the Jewish state, so as to attach them to regular, mobile army forces that could join the
battle against enemy armies. Ben-Gurion demanded that greater authority be invested
in the various regional commanders, in light of the poor quality of the communications
with the General Staff; only if the communications conditions were improved could the
General Staff exercise direct command over all units.
During the course of that eventful day, Ben-Gurion managed to pay a quick visit to
24 The Friday That Changed Destiny
the Proclamation of the State, a few minutes before 4pm
last months, his strategy had been based on defense of each Jewish position and of each
territory that had been allocated for the Jewish state, against attacks by Arab gangs. Now
that regular forces from neighboring countries had appeared, Ben-Gurion understood
that the era of local defense of each position was over. The decisive factor on the battlefield
would be the overall struggle of army against army – the Jewish army against the invading
armies. "The main thing," he told the members of the General Staff, "is a blow to the enemy
forces, not the retaining of positions… we need to concentrate our forces." What this
meant – as he had already hinted the previous day at the People’s Administration – was the
removal of defending forces and weapons from many communities within the territory
of the Jewish state, so as to attach them to regular, mobile army forces that could join the
battle against enemy armies. Ben-Gurion demanded that greater authority be invested
in the various regional commanders, in light of the poor quality of the communications
with the General Staff; only if the communications conditions were improved could the
General Staff exercise direct command over all units.
During the course of that eventful day, Ben-Gurion managed to pay a quick visit to
24 The Friday That Changed Destiny
