Moshe Dayan, former Israel Chief of Staff, resigned today as Minister of Agriculture, declaring he could not continue because there was no understanding between him and Premier Levi Eshkol.
Premier Eshkol expressed regret over the resignation, which Dayan, one of the leaders of the “Young Turks” in Israel’s Mapai party, submitted this morning. The resignation was expected to have an immediate impact on current internal differences in the party. Some observers viewed the resignation as the signal of a wider power struggle in which the former Chief of Staff would seek to establish a wider front of “new force” for the next general elections.
Twice since joining the Cabinet of Premier Levi Eshkol, Gen. Dayan threatened to resign and then did not do so. Disagreement with the Government’s economic policy was stressed as the major reason for the resignation; however, observers indicated a belief that the resignation stemmed from wide disagreement with Premier Eshkol’s policies on domestic issues, including the plan for an alignment with Achdut Avodah.
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