Premier-designate David Ben Gurion today made public his proposed list of Cabinet portfolio distribution based on a projected five-party coalition government, following conclusion of a meeting of a committee of eight Mapai party leaders which considered the question. The final decision of the other parties to the proposed new Cabinet will be made tomorrow morning when the central committees of the parties concerned will meet.
Mr. Ben Gurion’s list of portfolios was divided as follows: Mapai, 9–Prime Minister, Foreign, Defense, Finance, Education, Labor, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Police. Mapam, 2–Development and Health; Ahdut Avodah, 2–Communications and Interior. Hapoel Hamizrachi, 3–Religions, Post, and Welfare; and Progressives, 1–Justice. In addition, he also proposed that Hapoel Hamizrachi get the Vice Ministry of Education and Abdut Avodah the Vice Ministry of Agriculture. The Progressives would also be allowed to place an “observer” in the ministerial economic committee.
The committee of eight Mapai leaders which drew up the distribution of the Cabinet portfolios included David Ben Gurion Moshe Sharett, Levi Eshkol, Golda Myerson, Zaiman Arance Mordecai Namir, Yona Kesse and Rephael Bash.
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