Sharett also protested that the IDF were carrying out a covert whispering propaganda' campaign among the Arabs, threatening them with attacks and acts of vengeance by the army, which the civilian authorities will be powerless to prevent. This whispering propaganda (ta'amulat lahash) is not being done of itself. There is no doubt that here there is a calculated action aimed at increasing the number of those going to the Hebron Hills as if of their own free will, and, if possible, to bring about the evacuation of the whole civilian population of pocket. He also referred to the army's actions as ""'an unauthorized initiative by the local command in a matter relating to Israeli government policy'"". Allon admitted (to Yadin) only that his troops had ""beaten three Arabs ... There is no truth to the observers' announcement about abuse/cruelty etc. I investigated this personally.""