Behind the Headlines the Image of the Ninth Knesset

The Ninth Knesset recessed for the summer yesterday after little more than two months in office during which it hardly had time to establish a legislative record. But its image is markedly different from previous Knessets. Not only are there scores of new faces, many of them political unknowns a few months ago, but most important the Ninth Knesset is more sharply divided along ideological lines than any of its predecessors.

The boundaries are clearly marked between the rightist, religious-oriented Likud coalition which holds a precariously narrow parliamentary majority, and the center-liberal-leftist opposition. While the latter has not coalesced into a unified opposition bloc, it nevertheless can spell trouble for Premier Menachem Begin’s legislative programs.

The final decision by the Democratic Movement for Change (DMC) last night by a vote of 61-8, not to join the Likud-led coalition deprived Begin of its 15 Knesset votes. Although the DMC said it would be a “strong but constructive opposition” the fact that it is no longer a potential Likud partner means that it will exercise fewer restraints in opposing government policies.

The opposition is now the strongest ever in an Israeli parliament. The Labor Alignment’s 33 votes, the DMC’s 15 and the potential support of such leftist factions as the Rakah Communists (5 seats) and Sheli (2 seats), plus the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) (I seat) add up to 56 opposition mandates. The Likud coalition musters 63 votes and can usually count on the single vote of independent MK Samuel Flatto-Sharon.

WEAKNESS OF THE OPPOSITION

The weakness of the opposition lies, for the time being at least, in the disunity within the Labor Alignment which, after 29 years in power cannot seem to adjust to the opposition role. The same factors that contributed to Labor’s defeat in the May 17 elections–bitter rivalry among the party’s leaders and lack of political conformity between its different factions–are still evident.

Alignment leader Shimon Peres avoids discussing the party’s election failure on grounds that such discussion would degenerate into recriminations rather than be constructive. Nevertheless, internal political struggles continue and Peres is keeping a sharp eye on his erstwhile rival, former Premier Yitzhak Rabin who has indicated that he might be a candidate for the Premiership at some future time.

The Labor opposition came to life briefly during last week’s debate on Begin’s visit to the U.S. Peres delivered a brilliant speech to the Knesset, matching the Likud leader’s polemic for polemic. But that was only a single performance. Intra-party strains were plainly evident after the Labor Central Committee voted to oppose the repatriation of the Christian Arab villagers of Ikrit and Biram. Labor MK Yossi Sarid, often a spokesman for the party’s “doves,” assailed Labor for failing to learn any lessons from its election defeat.

LIKUD ENJOYING NEW IMAGE

On the Likud side, Begin seems to enjoy the parliamentary game now that he is in power even more than he did during his many years in opposition. An ardent debater, Begin was described as at “the peak of his traditional parliamentary form” during Tuesday’s debate over the proposed Independence Day military parade. But Begin, who supports the parade, was forced to concede every MK the right to vote his conscience on the issue.

The new environment that prevails is reflected more clearly in the Knesset restaurant than in the legislative chamber. Defense Minister Ezer Weizman, a newcomer to parliament, walks with a swagger and an air of “master of the house,” casting confident smiles to right and left. Key figures of yesterday, Peres and former Finance Minister Yehoshua Rabinowitz, maintain a low profile, sitting at side tables conversing quietly with acquaintances.

Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan hasn’t changed his style. During his political isolation before the elections, he usually occupied the last table on the left in the rear of the restaurant and often dined alone. He still sits at the rear and probably would prefer to sit alone but in his new, powerful office he cannot manage that.

Among the new faces frequently seen in the restaurant are Charlie Biton, six months ago a Black Panther outcast, now a respectable member of the DMC Knesset faction. Biton, once unacceptable in “proper” social circles, is now one of the members of the Knesset House Committee which is in charge of running the Parliament.