Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion was reported today to have agreed to give up the Premiership and to serve as Defense Minister in a Cabinet headed by Finance Minister Levi Eshkol, providing the Cabinet does not include representatives of the Mapam and Achdut Ha’avoda, the two Socialist groups which refuse to serve in a Cabinet headed by him.
The plan, as reported, foresees a Cabinet composed of representatives of Mapai, National Religious party and the Progressive party which is now about to merge with the General Zionists. It also calls for Mr. Ben-Gurion’s return to the Premiership in six months or after the conclusion of the Eichmann trial which is scheduled to begin next month. It has been evolved to avoid holding national elections.
The chances for such a coalition appeared rather slim today. Among the stumbling blocks facing the new proposal are the facts that the General Zionists feel that they have a good chance to increase their strength in the elections and the unwillingness on thepart of the Progressives and a large part of the National Religious party to forsake their former coalition partners, Mapam and Achdut Ha’avoda.
It is expected, meanwhile, that various bills calling for the dissolution of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and setting up new elections, will be tabled in the House tomorrow. Actual debate and voting on the bills, however, depend on the outcome of efforts to establish a new coalition.
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion did not preside at today’s Cabinet meeting, continuing his partial vacation begun on December 25, which he interrupted briefly in mid-January to notify the Cabinet of his resignation. Despite his resignation, which automatically brought the downfall of the Government, Premier Ben-Gurion and his fellow Ministers are continuing as a caretaker Government until a new Government is formed.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed today that the first convention of the new Liberal party, to be composed of the General Zionists and the Progressives, would be held during Passover. The merger of the two parties was approved Friday at a meeting of representatives of both parties including Joseph Saphir, Haim Levanon, C. Rimalt and E. Ichilov of the General Zionists, and Pinhas Rosen, Moshe Kol. Y. Haarari and other delegates representing the Progressives. An official announcement of the merger is expected later this week.
Details of the merger will be worked out during the next three weeks by various committees, on which both parties will have equal representation. Fully developed proposals will then be brought before the convention. Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Zionist Organization, cabled Progressive party leader Moshe Kol on Friday, congratulating him on the merger.
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