Former Premier Menachem Begin will not be in the next Knesset even if Likud should win the July 23 elections. Israel Radio reported today that his name, and that of Economic Minister Yaacov Meridor, were absent from the final list of Herut members running for election.
A total of 180 names was submitted to the Herut Central Committee which meets Thursday to draw up the final list of 120 Knesset candidates in numerical order. According to Israel Radio, Herut members had tried to persuade Begin to agree to have his name placed in an “honorary” position at the bottom of the list.
But Begin, who has been in seclusion since he resigned last August, refused even if it would be helpful to his party’s election chances.
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