Premier Menachem Begin’s plan to name Yitzhak Shamir Defense Minister and Liberal Party leader Yitzhak Modai Foreign Minister has incurred opposition from some coalition quarters and has been deferred until after the weekend.
The deferment became unavoidable when the National Religious Party’s Knesset faction, convening today, resolved that its three ministers and faction chairman should “consult with the Prime Minister and report back to the next faction meeting” before any new Cabinet appointments were formalized.
Unofficially, the NRP noted that only the defense slot was actually vacant and wondered, therefore, why Begin needed to stir up additional problems by shifting Shamir from the foreign to the defense portfolio, thus making two appointments.
The Democratic Movement, meanwhile, said it remains adamant in its opposition to Modai’s appointment as Foreign Minister on the grounds that he is not suitably qualified. The DM’s position was reiterated Affer a meeting this afternoon between Modai and the DM Knesset faction. Nevertheless, DM members conceded that Modai mode an impressive and convincing presentation of his plans and perceptions of the Foreign Minister’s job.
Observers believe the DM hopes that by opposing Modai they may be able to maneuver their own man, Justice Minister Shmuel Tamir, to head the Foreign Ministry. Privately, sources close to Tamir are extolling his capabilities and suitability for the job and suggesting that the Liberal Party could be compensated with the justice portfolio which Tamir would vacate.
Begin apparently feels that given time the DM opposition to Modai will weaken. In the final analysis, he presumably calculates they least of all want to see the government fall and the elections advanced. Opinion polls uniformly predict their total annihilation in new elections.
Another coalition problem, that of Agriculture Minister Ariel ‘Sharon’s opposition to the Shamir nomination, seemed to be abating today. A Sharon aide announced that the minister was “considering resigning.” But Sharon himself said nothing to reporters after a meeting with Begin.
The Premier reportedly mode it clear to Sharon that his aspiration to be Defense Minister was impractical even though Begin might approve it because both the Liberals and the DM have given firm ultimatums that they would not serve-in the coalition with Sharon heading the Defense Ministry.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
