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RECORDING OF THE CONVERSATION OF THE USSR AMBASSADOR IN ISRAEL P.I. ERSHOVA WITH HEAD OF THE EASTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT OF THE ISRAEL MFA SH. FRIEDMAN

October 17, 1948

Secret

Today, at his request, he received Friedman, who came to the Mission to inform about three issues: the hostilities in the Negev, the new formulation of the question of Jerusalem and the messages received from Paris from Israeli Foreign Minister Shertok.

Regarding the situation in the Negev, Friedman said that on July 16, the day before the start of the second truce, Jewish troops seized the Karatiya point and interrupted Egyptian communications from west to east. At the very beginning of the second truce, Egyptian troops bypassed this point from the southwest, thereby depriving Israel of the opportunity to communicate with the Negev. There was no response from the Jews, since they relied on the UN. Only a month later, on August 18, the chief of staff of the observers, General Landstrom, established the joint use of the Negev road intersection for the Egyptian and Jewish armies. Jewish transports could use this road from 6 o'clock. in the morning to 12 o'clock. days, while the Egyptians from 14 to 20 hours. Israel time. This timetable was supposed to go into effect on August 21, but the Egyptians did not agree to it. On September 14, United Nations Mediator Bernadotte signed Act No. 12, which repeated the above-mentioned conditions for operating the intersection and introduced a ban on the use of aircraft for communications in the area.

On October 15, a transport was sent to the Negev, which came under fire from the Egyptians and was forced to return, and two vehicles were burned. The Egyptians used aviation (6 Spitfires). The Jews launched a retaliatory military action. The next day, General Riley ordered the cessation of hostilities. Immediately there was a response from the Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the command of the Jewish army that the troops would not stop hostilities until the freedom of movement of Jewish transports in the Negev was ensured. Currently, major battles are taking place with the participation of tank and air formations. An Egyptian plane was shot down yesterday. The scale of the battles is evidenced by the fact that Tel Aviv hospitals are now overcrowded with wounded.

The constant ceasefire violations by Egyptian forces on the southern front, Friedman said, can be explained by the fact that the Egyptians want to take over part of the Negev, while using the favorable attitude of America, given that, according to Bernadotte's plan, they were not supposed to get anything in the Negev. It should be borne in mind that America will lose interest in Israel after the presidential elections.

Moving on to the second question, Friedman said that about two weeks ago, new American proposals for the future of Jerusalem had become known in Tel Aviv. According to this plan, Jerusalem should be divided into three parts, with the Jewish part of the city being placed under the tutelage of the State of Israel, the Arab part under the tutelage of an Arab state, most likely Transjordan. The holy sites (i.e., obviously the old city of Jerusalem) will be placed under international trusteeship with limited governing authority. In order to persuade Israel to agree to this project, American representatives say that this project is not much different from the project of annexing part of the city to Israel, because it imposes only two minor restrictions: to send reports every two years to the UN Trusteeship Council and to answer questions from observers.

Further, Friedman reported on the telegrams received from Shertok, which contain conversations with representatives of various states. Belgian delegate Spaak believes that Israel itself should restrict freedom of immigration in order to put an end to talks about its allegedly aggressive intentions. This point of view of the Belgian delegate is in accordance with the general principles of British policy towards Israel.

The Swedes are deeply impressed by Bernadotte's assassination and consider it their moral duty to support the mediator's project. In general, their point of view is similar to the Belgian one.

The position of the Australian representative of Evvat and the Norwegian delegation is viewed by Shertok as favorable to Israel. When I asked about the details of this position, Friedman replied that the delegations of these countries object to the establishment of borders in Palestine at the current session of the General Assembly. In their opinion, a “good offices” commission should be created to determine the boundaries, which will present recommendations to the next session of the General Assembly. These delegations believe that Israel should be more flexible on the issue of the Negev.

Stopping in passing on the conversation between Shertok and the Indian delegate Pandit Nehru, Friedman said that the latter treats Israel favorably, but India should reckon with the presence of 35 million Muslims in India.

Shertok had a conversation in Paris with Soviet representatives Sobolev and Tsarapkin. According to Fridman, Sobolev discovered a freedom of approach to the question of Palestine. Sobolev believes that the fate of the Arab territories of Palestine should be predetermined by a concrete clash between Transjordan and Egypt. He called the American proposals for Jerusalem interesting. In his opinion, the present session of the General Assembly should adopt resolutions on the recognition of the State of Israel, on the withdrawal of the invading troops, a resolution requiring direct peace negotiations between Jews and Arabs. A commission of "good offices," should be created, which will be given the right to decide the issue of borders.

During a conversation with Sobolev, Shertok said that the Israeli government is ready to negotiate an end to hostilities with all Arab states, but about the future of Palestine, Israel will only negotiate with the de facto Arab authorities in Palestine.

To my question about the positions of America and England, Friedman replied that it remains the same, i.e. England supports Transjordan, and America supports Egypt, but the form and size of this support is not known to him.

At the end of the conversation, Friedman dwelled on a number of questions of the internal situation. He said that elections to the Constituent Assembly will be held only in mid-December this year. A draft constitution and election regulations are currently being developed, but a law on citizenship will be adopted even earlier. The issuance of a compulsory loan is being prepared for persons who own a certain capital.

Friedman also said that recently, measures are being taken to eliminate the separate headquarters of Palmach, 2, whose formations number up to 5 thousand people and form three brigades, which until now had their own separate headquarters. Now there is a need to resolve this issue, since parts of Palmach enjoyed a well-known privileged position in the Jewish army based on the fact that these formations bore the brunt of the fighting in the first stage of the war. The total number of the Israeli army is currently 60-70 thousand people. Although in Israel there is universal conscription for men from 18 to 40 years old, and for childless women from 18 to 26 years old, nevertheless, the order of contingents remains in force, since the general mobilization of draft-age people in areas such as the Negev and Galilee would lead to the complete deprivation of the labor force of the settlements located in these areas of new colonization.

I asked what new I heard from Meyerson. Friedman said that Trade Attaché Bezherano has developed a vigorous activity and is negotiating the purchase of oil and other materials. Defense Attaché Colonel Ratner sent a message that the Soviet military circles are interested in the structure of the Israeli army, martial law, etc. Friedman asked the General Staff to send maps and other materials to Moscow. The Israeli mission encountered economic difficulties: the furniture had to be purchased from Sweden, the premises provided turned out to be so small that the Israeli Foreign Ministry had to refuse to send some employees who were supposed to be additionally included in the Mission's staff.

Before leaving, Fridman conveyed Ms. Shertok's request for permission to send one boy to the USSR for surgery at the clinic of prof. Filatov, since he alone can cure his eye disease associated with brain inflammation. I said that it was necessary to first ask prof. Filatov - is he able to provide this assistance.

The conversation lasted 30 minutes, attache Semioshkin was present.

Envoy of the USSR in Israel P. Ershov of the RF

AVP. F. 089. Op. 1.P.1.D. 3.L. 17-20.