Day 363 of 599 of מלחמת העצמאות MILḤEMET HAʾAẒMAʾUT (War of Independence)

Klir’s November 26 entry reports selection of January 25 for the Constituent Assembly election. JTA’s November 28 dispatch instead says the Council decided the previous night. The exact decision date remains unresolved. The electoral ordinance was signed earlier, on November 18: it established a 120-member assembly and voting rights subject to residence and registration conditions. Its requirements, linked to the November 8 registration, did not guarantee that every Arab resident of newly controlled territory could vote. ^{1 2 3}

JTA says the airport at לוד LOD opened to civilian traffic “today” on November 26. Other accounts in the research place a ceremony earlier; no original ministry record settles the discrepancy. Another dispatch describes מנחם בגין MENAḤEM BEGIN’s New York press conference “yesterday,” on November 25, including opposition to the Bernadotte plan and negotiations with عبدالله ABDULLAH. His position was distinct from government policy. ^{4 5}

Geshur dates an unsuccessful raid on Idna to November 26–27: the force was detected, fired upon and withdrew. A return operation followed the next night. The source gives no verified death toll or precise clock. ⁶

This is Day 363 of the 599-day civil-date series: 1948-11-26. TJD converts its daytime portion with the fixed Hebrew calendar to כ״ד בחשוון ה׳תש״ט 24th 𝑜𝑓 Ḥeŝvan, AM 5709. The slot does not assign every reported action to that Hebrew day. This daily slot includes November 26 reportage about earlier decisions and statements. The airport ceremony remains disputed; the Idna encounter may have occurred after midnight on November 27. Nighttime after sunset corresponds to כ״ה בחשוון ה׳תש״ט 25th 𝑜𝑓 Ḥeŝvan, AM 5709. ⁷

• Which source could settle the disputed election decision date?
• How does מנחם בגין MENAḤEM BEGIN’s press conference differ from the government’s diplomatic policy?