Sources close to former Premier Yitzhak Rabin and top officials in the Labor Party were taken by surprise by the announcement that Eli Mizrahi, former director of Rabin’s office and his political advisor, will serve the Begin government in a similar capacity.
The announcement, which contradicted previous media reports, said that Mizrahi was appointed political advisor to the Premier. In Rabin’s government he was considered one of the most powerful persons in the Premier’s circle. Some observers say that Mizrahi had the greatest influence on Rabin during some stages of Rabin’s premiership. Mizrahi came to power from the back rooms of the official archives, under the guidance of the late Dr. Yaacov Herzog, who was director general of the Prime Minister’s Office during the administrations of Golda Meir and Levi Eshkol.
He was deeply involved in Rabin’s government negotiating process for the past 3 1/2 years, and took an active part in all debates related to Israel’s foreign policy under the Labor Alignment regime. Mizrahi himself, though concerned about his political career following the Likud’s victory, said several weeks ago that he considered himself a civil servant and that he did not feel that he should be replaced despite the political nature of his job. (By Tuvia Mendelson)
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