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anticipation of the dangers of war, and a sense of great hope and challenge. Following
the official reading of the Declaration of Independence by David Ben-Gurion, and after
the members of the State Council and representatives of the Yishuv and of the Zionist
movement had signed the historic document, and those present had raised their glasses
in a toast to one another, we stood together, the three representatives of the Hagana,
discussing the final preparations that might still be carried out during the few hours
remaining until the invasion of the regular Arab armies, which was sure to come. David
Remez, who had received the Transportation portfolio in the Provisional Government,
came over to us and wished us "mazal tov", adding with emphasis, in Yiddish, "You are the
guarantors" – of the independence bill that had just been signed.
W e were well aware that the fate of our independence now depends mainly on our
strength, the strength of the Hagana, and that it was upon us to turn the recognition of
the State of Israel into reality. Better than the others we knew how sparse our embryonic
force still was, and how great the advantage of the regular Arab forces was in every sphere:
the number of soldiers, their armaments, their equipment, and their supplies. We thought
hard about the tremendous challenge, and how we would rise to it, of necessity, no matter
what. The three of us hurried back to the General Staff headquarters, to our positions.
Y osef Avidar, BaDerekh leTzahal. Ma'arakhot publishers, 1970; p. 304
A State is Born 29
the official reading of the Declaration of Independence by David Ben-Gurion, and after
the members of the State Council and representatives of the Yishuv and of the Zionist
movement had signed the historic document, and those present had raised their glasses
in a toast to one another, we stood together, the three representatives of the Hagana,
discussing the final preparations that might still be carried out during the few hours
remaining until the invasion of the regular Arab armies, which was sure to come. David
Remez, who had received the Transportation portfolio in the Provisional Government,
came over to us and wished us "mazal tov", adding with emphasis, in Yiddish, "You are the
guarantors" – of the independence bill that had just been signed.
W e were well aware that the fate of our independence now depends mainly on our
strength, the strength of the Hagana, and that it was upon us to turn the recognition of
the State of Israel into reality. Better than the others we knew how sparse our embryonic
force still was, and how great the advantage of the regular Arab forces was in every sphere:
the number of soldiers, their armaments, their equipment, and their supplies. We thought
hard about the tremendous challenge, and how we would rise to it, of necessity, no matter
what. The three of us hurried back to the General Staff headquarters, to our positions.
Y osef Avidar, BaDerekh leTzahal. Ma'arakhot publishers, 1970; p. 304
A State is Born 29
