David Cesarani Major Faran's Hat: Murder, Scandal and Britain's War Against Jewish Terrorism 1945-1948 Vintage Books London 2010
p38
Montgomery ... CIGS on 26 June 1946
Renegotiation 1936 Egyptian base treaty ... looked likely to be rescinded.
Alternative bases required ... guard sea routes to India and protect oil supplies.
Palestine had large army bases, airfields from which bombers could operate, naval base at Haifa.
Imperative not to alienate Arab world.
Montgomery month-long tour of British forces ... saw that Irgun and Lehi operated with Jewish Agency approval.
p39 Montgomery conclusions: "You dare not touch us", 50% under strength police force, large numbers of hostile Jews in police force. Need for significant blow ... arrest of heads of illegal Jewish organisations. Directive to Paget ... high commisioner given free hand, strike hard and fast and completely defeat the Jews. Operation Agatha launched three days afterwards.
p40 Jewish Agency searched for documents linking Jewish leadership with terrorism. Arrests. Internment of whole Palmach units. Massive arms cache at Kibbutz Yagur ... operation designed to catch people rather than weapons. Missed most dangerous elements ... Irgun and Lehi. King David Hotel bombing. Montgomery wanted strong action ... Attlee and Bevin wanted political settlement. Elements in Jewish leadership more inclined to co-operate with British after bombing.
p41 Bombing showed that army had been over-optimistic over results of Agatha. Cabinet ordered that further measures be aimed at arms dumps and IZL and LEHI members. Cunningham advocated suspension of immigration and collective fine. Barker and Dempsey asked for tougher action. Operation Shark ... aimed at LEHI and Irgun members - commenced 30 July, principally Tel Aviv. Operations Agatha+Shark and KDH bombing rocked Jewish Agency ... Moshe Sneh sacked as Haganah commander and JR Movement ended. No further Hagana attacks on security forces ... energies focused on illegal immigration.
p42
Barker note ... anti-Semitic appearance.
Demands to sack Barker ... Montgomery: "If he goes, I go."
Montgomery attack on Cunningham ... wanted him to enforce death penalty on Lehi fighters.
Montgomery didn't understand political imperatives ... demanded army be let loose.
London Conference ... Bevin wanted leaders interned since June released.
Civil-military feud.