Day 4 of 599 of מלחמת העצמאות MILḤEMET HAʾAẒMAʾUT (War of Independence)

On 20 Kislev 5708, דוד בן-גוריון DAVID BEN-GURION presented political principles for the future state to the Histadrut Executive Committee. His diary records support for immigration by יהודים YEHUDIM, democratic government, individual liberty, equal elections, a national coalition, and friendship between יהודים YEHUDIM and Arabs. It also records his criticism of the proposed borders and ירושלים YERUŜALAYIM's planned international status, alongside his view that the United Nations decision was a major achievement.¹

The entry captures one leader's argument in a political meeting. It does not prove that the Committee adopted every principle as a binding resolution, that they became settled policy, or that cooperation between יהודים YEHUDIM and Arabs was already secure. It does show political leaders of יהודים YEHUDIM debating the institutions of sovereignty while the English Empire still held responsibility for law and order.

A fuller source study of this episode is available at event://5708־09־20־בן־Gurion־future־state־principles BEN.

This is Day 4 of the 599-day civil-date series: 1947-12-03. Its OTD route, 5708-09-20, is the daytime fixed-Hebrew conversion of that civil date, not a claim that every action mentioned here occurred before sunset.² The adjacent Hebrew date after local sunset is 21 Kislev 5708 (5708-09-21). Ben-Gurion's diary entry is dated 3 December. It records a political intervention, not an adopted state constitution. Yosef Klir's later entry for 3 December also speaks of convoy methods, but begins with events from the previous day; it cannot fix a first convoy to this route.³ Newspaper issue dates, dispatch dates and later testimony are kept distinct from occurrence dates.

• Which event or report fixes the date of this day’s main account?
• What record would resolve the most important remaining timing or casualty question?