I was a member of the Zionist General Council [the governing body of the Jewish people in Palestine], and at that time there were telegrams coming from New York, from US President Harry S Truman and from Jewish friends of Truman, who pleaded with us not to declare the state, because they feared it would become a Soviet satellite, because the Russians supported it.
Ben Gurion was in a difficult position but he told a small circle of us: "I'm not a communist and I would like to get the support of the Americans, but if I don't declare the state now, it will never happen." I agreed with him.
