Labor and Likud leaders argued angrily Tuesday over whether their unity coalition government should be broken up because of sharply divergent views on an international conference for Middle East peace.
Much of the controversy centered on Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres who is on a two-day official visit to Spain where, among other things, he is seeking support for an international conference. Premier Yitzhak Shamir told reporters here that Peres had exaggerated the importance of his trip and maintained that an international conference would bring “no salvation and certainly no peace.”
Peres discussed that approach to Middle East peace with King Juan Carlos of Spain and Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez Monday. But Shamir noted that “Spain will not even participate in such a conference should it take place, nor does it depend on Spain if such a conference is convened or not.”
Shamir added that “There is great exaggeration in presenting the entire trip (by Peres) as if it were intended for this issue.” Last Saturday night, before Peres’ departure for Madrid, Shamir startled observers here by stating publicly that he hoped the Foreign Minister would “not succeed” in his mission. Likud Minister-Without-Portfolio Moshe Arens accused Peres Tuesday of making his own foreign policy. “He should realize that under our system of government, ministers must act in accordance with government policies,” Arens said.
Laborite Minister Ezer Weizman, who is acting Foreign Minister in Peres’ absence, said the unity government should dissolve itself immediately because of irreconcilable differences between its partners and seek a new mandate from the electorate.
“How much longer should we go on with the main parties following divergent paths on the question of peace in the Middle East?” Weizman asked at a meeting with reporters in Nazareth Tuesday. But Finance Minister Moshe Nissim of Likud told Israel Radio that the differences over an international conference were not sufficient reason to break up the government.
Shamir, stressing that he is “opposed to the entire initiative” for an international forum, said he would not initiate a Cabinet debate on the issue because “its impossible to reach a decision given the present composition of the Cabinet.” He added, “If Mr. Peres is interested, he can bring the issue before the Cabinet.”
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