Premier David Ben Gurion’s coalition government faced a new political crisis tonight when two religious parties, the Agudath Israel and the Agudath Israel Workers, withdrew from the coalition charging non-fulfillment of their religious demands. The two parties were represented in the Cabinet by Minister of Welfare Rabbi L Lewin and Deputy Education Minister Rabbi Kalman Kahane.
Withdrawal of the two groups deprives the government coalition of a majority of the full Parliament. Accession of the two parties to the opposition will result in a 60-60 split in the 120-member house.
A surprise development here tonight was the refusal of the Mizrachi and the Mizrachi Workers parties, which with the two Agudah groups composed the Religious Bloc, to follow suit and leave the government. As a result, the bloc is split.
Political circles here tonight ascribed the new development to three factors. The first of these, they said, was the determination of Premier Ben Gurion to conscript Orthodox girls for national service along with all other girls of conscription age. The second factor was fear that the Premier Mapai Party, dominant element in the coalition, would seek to upset the present “trend” system in the schools. The third factor was said to be refusal to permit the Agudah to conduct separate fund-raising campaigns abroad.
CABINET MEMBERS WERE RELUCTANT TO RESIGN
Rabbis Lewin and Kahane were said here to have been reluctant to resign and insistent that they could reach a compromise with Premier Ben Gurion, but other elements in the party insisted. Rabbi Lewin appealed to the Mizrachi groups to intervene with Premier Ben Gurion to seek a compromise formula. Minister of Interior Moshe Shapira met the Premier but failed to reach any compromise.
The Agudist elements failed to obtain support of the other religious groups, it was said here, because Orthodox girls were not being called up for military duties but were being assigned to work in the immigrant camps or in Orthodox settlements.
Mr. Ben Gurion, apparently not deeply concerned over the new development, spent the entire day near Tel Aviv with Brig. Igal Yadin, Chief of Staff of the Israel defense forces, in a discussion on defense matters. It was believed here that he would meet Rabbi Lewin soon in a new effort to reach an agreement. Failing this, the Premier may have to turn to the General Zionists and Progressives to achieve a working majority. Mapai Party leaders, however, assert that this contingency is still remote.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
