Premier Menachem Begin has surprised the Israeli political community by indicating his preference of a little known scientist, Prof. Yitzhak Shaveh, for the Presidency. Begin’s move became known in the Knesset late last night, causing raised eyebrows and much wonderment.
Shaveh, 54, is a researcher at the Nahal Sorek nuclear research facility near Tel Aviv. Shaveh had been working in a Paris lab on a year-long sabbatical. He was born in Cairo of Syrian parents and studied physics at the Hebrew University. For some years in the 1950s, he worked on government arms research projects, and since 1967 has specialized in isotopes at the Nahal Sorek Institute.
Begin reportedly telephoned Shaveh in Paris last week and invited him back home “for a chat.” Shaveh told newsmen today he was “stunned” to learn that the Premier was offering him the Presidency. The Knesset is due to vote for President Ephraim Katzir’s successor April 5. Shaveh said he has not yet made up his mind whether to run for the office. “I don’t know if I am the best man for the job,” he said candidly. He had lost nights of sleep this week thinking hard about it, he said.
Even if Shaveh does eventually agree to run, there is no certainty that he will win the nomination, despite Begin’s backing. Early word from political circles was that the National Religious Party was not comfortable with the Premier’s choice and still preferred Laborite Yitzhak Navon.
Sources in the Democratic Movement for Change said their party, too, would probably prefer Navon –and thus the coalition forces may split, it would seem, over the Presidential nominee. Navon so for has not formally announced his candidacy and is unlikely to do so without ascertaining in advance that he is assured of massive support.
Political observers remarked on the irony of the Premier’s move. It closely resembled Premier Golda Meir’s step five years ago when she took Katzir from relative anonymity to make him Labor’s choice–also in order to stop Navon from winning the nomination. Navon’s fault in her eyes was his Rafi-Ben Gurionite past. In Begin’s view, the veteran Jerusalemite and Labor Knesseter is apparently too pronouncedly doveish.
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