THREAD on Teddy Kollek's file in @UkNatArchives

Kollek is a controversial figure due to his pre-State of Israel role as the Jewish Agency's liaison with the British Security Services & role in intelligence affairs.

#TwitterHistoria #History #HistoryMakers

Kollek may be best known for being Mayor of Jerusalem for 28 years but he is heavily connected with Israeli intelligence in the early years. https://www.jpost.com/features/agent-kollek-in-the-shadows

Like Eban, Special Branch "discreetly" searched Kollek's luggage when entering & leaving the UK. Observation reports were sent from SB to MI5 on any info picked up from him.

See below example of entering the UK.

These reports come in pretty handy now. Note the report that "Kollek was seen in conversation with Mr & Mrs S Gestetner...it is believed that the conversation was only of a casual nature."

Hmmm not so sure

Sigmund Gestetner was President of @JNFuk at the time. Kollek's file includes a note from Dec 2 1946 that he received a call from "Mr Nightingale", he had been told by Gestetner to organise a room once a week for Kollek. Why?

A discreet meeting place for sources?

The other thing about the above note is that though Kollek's phone was bugged this info didn't come from a "telecheck" which is noted on the reports & written up verbatim. (see attached example).

The above has no source attribution. #HUMINT?

Also see this one where SB dutifully report Kollek travelling with Reuven "Zaslansky" who claims to be "Kollek's secretary"...Reuven would later change his name to Shiloah and become the first director of the Mossad.

They're on their way to Paris to meet with Ben Gurion.

Note Kollek gets in touch with Special Branch to give them the Jewish Agency contact with the Irgun in Nov 1946.

According to MI5 "the inference is that the Agency is trying to penetrate the UZR organisation"

The British were aware of Kollek's intelligence role and cautious of him. They maintained surveillance on the London setup.

The Defence Security Officer Palestine wrote Sir Percy Sillitoe, Director General of MI5 to tell him to watch Kollek.

Each of those mentioned became important in the state of Israel. Zeev Sharif first head of civil service, Reuven Zaslani 1st head of Mossad, Eban ambassador to UN & USA, Ben Aharon an MK & head of the Histadrut, Heyd a diplomat then academic.

They were the up and comers

The power struggle played out in the London office between Kollek on the one hand & Berl Locker & Joseph Linton on the other.

The latter two being Weizmann loyalists. Kollek was warned about Linton in an intercepted letter. Again not a telecheck so where did the info come from?

Linton talking to Weizmann about Kollek:

"I think he really ought to go back. These two people here are always hanging about the office and they are doing us a lot of harm instead of good. That is my impression. I never liked him."

No 2 might be Zaslani/Shiloah

Berl Locker was a Weizmann loyalist active in the London Jewish Agency for years leading up to 1946.

Kollek claims he & Eban were told Linton had "lately developed a j'accuse complex...which was not conducive to any good understanding"

By Nov 1946 things were so bad that Kollek wrote to Walter Eytan (to become first head Israeli Foreign Ministry & spent the war @bletchleypark) that: "I myself don't intend to continue here if there is no radical change"

Weizmann expresses discontent with "some two young men" to Eban in Nov '46.

The awkwardness from Eban burns bright: "Well um I know all they're doing. I don't think they're committing anyone to anything..."

Weizmann relents on Kollek "although he's a bit of a schmoozer"

But why isn't there anything from Philby, the communist spy in MI6? Philby reported on Eban in Paris but Kollek was there too.

There are reports from MI6 mentioning Kollek in Paris but it was rumoured that Kollek and Philby knew one another, perhaps Philby knew to stay well away

The files show the diplomatic battle being fought at the close of 1946, before the mandate was handed to the @UN, when the Jews mourned their dead post WWII, before the victories, when the world looked bleakest, it makes the formation of Israel all the more impressive.