David Ben-Gurion, the former Premier who broke away from the dominant Mapai Party last year and formed his own Rafi, the Israel Workers List, for the last general elections, accused the present Israel Government last night of “grave irresponsibility in handling the nation’s security in a way that could bring disaster within four years.”
Addressing a meeting of the Rafi council, top ruling body of his dissident group, Mr. Ben-Gurion charged: “The army is now being used for party interests. Decisions taken lack all sense of national security. Grave things are being done, but I cannot speak about them.”
Mr. Ben-Gurion accused Prime Minister Levi Eshkol of “having a genius for changing facts and altering history.” He illustrated that charge by quoting from Mr. Eshkol’s statement to the Knesset (Parliament), in which the Premier had said “net everything was in order during my predecessor’s rule.” “I realize,” said Mr. Ben-Gurion, “that truth and justice have been mocked in the past few years. But without truth and justice we are lost.”
An attack against the Mapai Party was made at the same meeting by Shimon Peres, one of Mr. Ben-Gurion’s principal backers, who had resigned his office as Deputy Minister of Defense last summer to join the Rafi leadership. “Mapai minus Ben-Gurion,” said Mr. Peres, “is a minus.” The Rafi Council adopted by acclamation a demand on the Government to hold the next, annual Independence Day parade in Jerusalem.
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