Beigin Rushed to Hospital and Placed in Intensive Care Unit

Likud leader Menachem Beigin was rushed to Ichilov Hospital last night and placed in an intensive care unit. His personal physician said at noon today that Beigin was feeling better but would undergo a series of tests before it is decided when he can leave the hospital. Beigin, who suffered a heart attack five weeks ago, fell ill last night at the Sharon Hotel at Herzliah where he was resting after the grueling election campaign that brought victory to his party.

Likud said today that its negotiations with other parties aimed at forming a coalition government would continue in Beigin’s absence. The negotiating committee will meet tomorrow with the leadership of the Democratic Movement for Change (DMC) which emerged from the elections as Israel’s third largest political party.

Beigin, who is 64, recovered from his heart attack and was able to participate in the final stages of the election campaign. Last week he decided to vacation at the Sharon Hotel for several days before plunging into coalition talks. He said his physicians told him he was fit for his normal duties. His rest at the hotel was constantly interrupted by reporters, diplomats and his party colleagues. At noon yesterday he lunched with U.S. Ambassador-designate Samuel Lewis at Kfar Shmaryahu. He began to feel sick in the evening.

SPECULATION ON FUTURE MOVES

Beigin’s hospitalization aroused speculation in political circles that his doctors may not permit him to undertake strenuous work for some time and that, for health reasons, he may not be able to form a government. DMC sources hinted today that the chances of it joining a Likud-led coalition would be improved if Beigin were ruled out as Premier. They cited the adverse image Beigin has abroad because of his leadership of the underground fighting group, Argon Zvai Leumi, during the pre-State period.

Political sources also said that Likud without Beigin would be more acceptable to the Labor Party as a possible coalition partner. Some sources believe that Labor Party leader Shimon Peres might engineer a Labor-Likud coalition under those circumstances despite his repeated assertions that the gap between the two parties on domestic and foreign policy issues was unbridgeable.

Speculation was also current today as to who Likud might propose for Premier should Beigin be unable to assume that office. Some sources mentioned MK Moshe Arens, 52, a professor of aeronautics at the Haifa Technion as on acceptable choice. Others suggested that Likud may offer the Premiership to DMC leader Prof. Yigal Yadin, an internationally prominent archaeologist, while retaining all key ministries for Likud.