Beigin Demands Israel Referendum on War with Arabs

A demand for a national referendum on the issue of whether Israel should go to war against the Arab States and a call for new national elections featured a sharp attack on the Israel Government’s foreign policy by Menachem Beigin, opposition Herut leader, who opened the debate in the Knesset on Premier David Ben Gurion’s policy statement.

The Herut leader criticized the Government’s retaliation policy because the Israel assaults on Arab centers of attack and infiltration were not followed by permanent occupation of those focal point. He complained that retaliation, as presently practiced by Israel, did not bring the desired results.

The Herut leader asked Mr. Ben Gurion point-blank whether the Government will forcibly oppose occupation of Jordan territory by Iraqi troops. If so, he asked, why had Mr. Ben Gurion merely stated he reserves freedom of action instead of saying, as had Foreign Minister Golda Meir, that Israel would oppose such an occupation?

Meir Argov, member of the premier’s Mapai Party and chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee told the house that if a compromise is reached on the Suez Canal in the Security Council, which excludes Israel, Israel will have to send ships through the canal backed by “Israel’s full power.

Dr. Peretz Bernstein, leader of the General Zionists, complained that the Israel Government had lost the opportunity to remove the danger of renewed war by the Arabs by failing to take the initiative when the Soviet arms deal was made with Egypt. Even now, he said, Israel must secure herself against mounting Arab war preparations. it was a grave mistake, he said, to permit the United Nations and others to have the impression there is conflict between the Arabs and Israel. There is no conflict, he said. The situation is that one side seeks to annihilate the other while the other resists annihilation.

Jacob Hazan, of the Mapam Party, told the house that war could be avoided. Time he said, was on Israel’s side and israel was strong today, thanks to the government policy of patience and successful arms acquisitions.