Behind the Headlines Political Crisis Looming

A major political crisis is hanging fire pending Premier Menachem Begin’s recovery from his latest illness which sent him to the hospital last Thursday night. The looming crisis stems from a growing lack of confidence in the government’s ability to manage Israel’s rapidly deteriorating economy.

Pressure is mounting within the Liberal Party wing of Likud for the resignations of its four Cabinet ministers–though not for withdrawal from the coalition — while the opposition Labor Alignment is calling for dissolution of the knesset and new elections. These developments, which might have come to a bead in the next day or two, are marking time because of Begin’s condition.

The Knesset Presidium urged the Labor-Party and Sheli factions to hold off on the no-confidence motions they submitted Friday until Begin has recovered and is back at work. Meanwhile, however, former Foreign Minister Yigal Allon and Labor Party Whip Moshe Shahal have taken the initiative to call for new elections. Labor Party chairman Shimon Peres, who returned from a Socialist International meeting in Stockholm last night, said that while he was not sure this is the right moment to dissolve the Knesset, he is convinced the present government “has to go.”

Labor appears to have the support of its Alignment partner, Mapam. lost Thursday, the Mapam Central Committee called for the immediate resignation of the government and early elections.

Addressing a press conference here today, Allon said the government is bankrupt, has made the gravest mistakes in economics, politics and security matters and has been unable to implement even the sound elements of its policy. “Labor is not rushing to regain the helm of State,” Allon said. “It accepted the decision of the voters. But the dangerous activity of the government and its inability to make decisions makes a mere no-confidence vote insufficient. Hence our initiative for dissolving the present Knesset,” be said.

CLAIMS KNESSET IS PARALYZED

According to Allon, the Knesset is paralyzed by the welter of splinter factions and defections from larger factions. “In its present composition it cannot set up a stable government that can lead the nation … It would be a mistake to seek an alternative to the present government based on the same Knesset,” he said.

Allon maintained that any-other government would have resigned of its own accord given the present circumstances but this government will not because “its weak components fear that they will be eliminated from the political map when new elections are held.” He appeared to be referring to the Democratic Movement headed by Deputy Premier Yigael Yadin.

Peres said he would be meeting with Allon and Shahal tonight to try to determine whether they could muster a Knesset majority for new elections. The Labor Party leader is scheduled to leave tomorrow on a visit to Egypt. But he indicated that he would cancel his trip if the party decided to press its no-confidence motion in the Knesset tomorrow.

It was reported later that the opposition factions agreed to postpone their no-confidence motions for one week. “But we can only wait one week because the Knesset adjourns for the summer a week from next Wednesday,” Shahal said tonight.

LIBERAL PARTY SITUATION CONFUSED

The Situation within the Liberal Party is more confused. Finance Minister Simcha Ehrlich was reported ready, to submit his resignation at today’s Cabinet session but agreed to reconsider after Begin reportedly told him last week that if Ehrlich resigned, he, too, would step down.

Begin’s illness has given Ehrlich more time to contemplate the political and economic repercussions likely to follow his departure from the government. But he is under severe pressure from the younger elements of the Liberal Party. They have demanded the resignations not only of Ehrlich but of Minister of Commerce Gideon Patt, Energy Minister Yitzhak. Modai and Moshe Nissim, Minister-Without-Portfolio. They charge that the ministers have failed to carry out the economic principles of the Liberal Party. The party’s central committee, scheduled to meet tomorrow, has reportedly postponed its session. Committee chairman Leon Dulzin was said to be working on a compromise resolution that would given the government a chance to implement its economic policies before the ministers take the drastic step of resignation. Ehrlich said tonight that he would delay his decision until Begin has recovered.