Ben-gurion Insists on Eliminating Lavon from Mapai Election List

The Mapai Party, which has not yet recuperated from the crisis of the Lavon Affair and its consequences, was faced today with a new crisis following a warning given by Premier David Ben-Gurion that in case new general elections are held–as seems likely now–he will demand veto power over the composition of the list of candidates which the Mapai will put up, in order to make certain that Mr. Pinhas Lavon, whom he ousted from Histadrut leadership, is not included among the candidates.

In making this declaration at a meeting of the secretariat of the Mapai party, Mr. Ben-Gurion said he is not prepared to appear on the same list of candidates with Lavon. However, he promised not to interfere otherwise with the formation of the list of Mapai candidates.

The announcement by Mr. Ben-Gurion came as a shock even to some members of the Mapai secretariat who supported him in the fight with Lavor. Should Ben-Gurion succeed in forcing a party majority not to include Lavon in the list of candidates, it may create an intra-party crisis far greater than the original Lavon crisis, some of his supporters fear.

Mr. Ben-Gurion made his declaration against having Lavon on the Mapai list of candidates for new elections after the party officially rejected the idea of a new coalition Government without him as Prime Minister–a possibility hinted in the press after the National Religious party turned down his bid to join a small coalition. The Mapai rejection was embodied in a resolution approved at a meeting of the Mapai secretariat, its Cabinet Ministers and its faction in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament.

The secretariat decided to continue efforts to form a new government to replace the one toppled by Ben-Gurion when he resigned on January 31. If the attempt fails, the secretariat decided, after a short period Mapai would seek new general elections as soon as possible. A spokesman for the party told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that a "short period" means two days because Mr. Ben-Gurion has already asked President Ben-Zvi to receive him tomorrow.

RELIGIOUS PARTY LEADERS SEEK TO REVERSE LAST WEEK’S DECISIONS

Meanwhile, leaders of the National Religious party–which last week decided not to join a "small coalition Cabinet"–were reportedly making today another effort to reverse the decision of their presidium. Such a reversal is formally possible, although not very likely, when the executive committee of the party meets this week to confirm the presidium’s decision.

The executive of the Progressive party called an urgent meeting this afternoon at the request of several of its members who are seeking a reversal in the party’s decision not to join a coalition under Premier Ben-Gurion. However, Justice Minister Pinhas Rosen, leader of the Progressives, said that he did not believe that the executive would revise its attitude toward joining the coalition. Last night the executive of the Progressive party voted 20 to one to start negotiations with the General Zionists and with other parties with the goal of creating a "liberal front" of all non-Socialist parties.

The General Zionist executive, meanwhile, decided to mobilize all party workers to prepare for the elections. Similar steps have been taken by Herut. Interior Ministry circles believe that the earliest date when elections could be held was next July. Mapai leaders, however, favor a later date, possibly next October or November, after the Eichmann trial is expected to be over.

The secretariat of Mapai today nominated Aharon Becker, head of the Trade Union department of the Histadrut, to become Histadrut secretary-general, succeeding the ousted Pinhas Lavon. Since the Mapai has a majority on the Histadrut’s ruling executive committee, the nomination of Mr. Becker was tantamount to his election.