Decision on Transfer of Jabotinsky’s Remains Considered Vague

The long-running debate on the transfer of Vladimir Jabotinsky’s remains to Israel turned today into a debate over procedures for that transfer and the prestige of those concerned.

The decision of the Government two weeks ago on the reinterment of the Zionist-Revisionist leader’s remains in Israel was widely accepted as meeting the conditions of Jabotinsky’s will in which he had asked for burial in the soil of a Jewish State by a Jewish Government. However, the leadership of the Herut insisted today that the wording of the Government decision made it seem as though the act was a matter of “aiding the family” and not a decision in accordance with Jabotinsky’s will.

Professor Eri Jabotinsky, son of the late Revisionist leader, who had written the letter to which the Government had made its affirmative response, met with Premier Levi Eshkol in Jerusalem for a half-hour talk which an official described as held “in a cordial atmosphere. ” But apparently no decision was reached as to the participation of the Government and the Army in the funeral. A spokesman for the Premier said there would be another meeting and that it was hoped that all difficulties would be resolved.

Herut and veteran Revisionist members met with Prof. Jabotinsky for a report on his talk with the Premier. It appeared that the character of treatment given to the task of transferring the retrains of Jabotinsky to Israel and not the wording of the Governments decision to do so will decide whether the remains actually will be transferred. Herut has demanded a state funeral and reinterment on Mt. Herzl for the remains.