The Foxes’ company was not stationed in the most forward positions. It acted in accordance with its special capabilities. We were connected with battalion HQ and sent on daily patrols along the border of our territory. We monitored the wide no-man s-land to the north of Beit Jibrin, as well as being sent on special missions.
These were our happiest three weeks in the army. We enjoyed almost complete freedom, our food supplies were plentiful, and our military duties were light. I lived together with two friends, Shalom Cohen and Israel Lebertov, in a small Arab house. We cleaned it and furnished it and called it "the Castle. "
9 August 1948
Jassir
Humor at the front
We are in the mosque at Jaladiyya. Four idle men with a field tele-phone which connects the front positions. A ceasefire is in force. But by every phone in the region a bored man or woman is sitting. I pick up the receiver.
"Do you really have green eyes?" asks a warm male voice.
"Look into the telephone," the girl answers.
"And what about your hair?"
"Black as the night."
"What’s your name, then?"
"My name," she giggles, "is Jocheved."
"Don’t believe it," a third voice breaks in, "Judith is her name!"
"Hallo HQ," says another new voice, "I have an urgent report for you."
"Oh please," says the warm male voice, "can’t you see that we are busy? The report can wait."
"Stop! Stop!" says Jocheved/Judith. "Give me the report."
The coded message bores me since I understand nothing: "Bravo, Whiskey, Juliet, Sierra, Alpha ..."
Time passes. A jeep arrives to relieve us.
* * *
That was our chance to disappear for a few hours. We raced to Tel Aviv, went for a meal in the town - and returned again.
In Rehovot we picked up a hitcher, a farmer heading for Be’er