Dultzin Charges Certain Colleagues of Gahal’s Liberal Faction of Wrecking Coalition

Leo Dultzin, who, with five other members of the Gahal Party resigned from Premier Golda Meir’s cabinet last week, accused certain fellow members of Gahal’s Liberal faction today of wrecking Mrs. Meir’s coalition. Gahal quit the Cabinet in protest against the government’s acceptance of the American peace initiative calling for a 90-day cease-fire and negotiations with the Arabs under the auspices of United Nations envoy Gunnar V. Jarring. The Liberal faction, led by Joseph Sapir, wanted to remain in the government but the views of the more militant Herut, headed by Mena-chem Beigin, prevailed in a close vote by Gahal’s central committee. According to Mr. Dultzin, five or six Liberal Party members broke ranks and voted with Herut to provide a narrow margin of 117-112 vote for leaving the cabinet.

Mr. Dultzin said he did not blame Mr. Beigin who was “perfectly consistent, honest and honorable, even if I disagree with him.” He charged that Liberals who voted against their own party were not motivated by “qualms of conscience over the issue but by a desire to settle personal accounts.” Meanwhile, two Liberal leaders were ousted this week from the Gahal Executive for opposing the party leadership on political issues, especially on the question of the American peace initiative. The Executive is composed of five members each from the Liberal and Herut factions of Gahal. The ousted members were Joseph Serlin and Zvi Zimmermann, both members of the Knesset. They were replaced by Simha Ehrlich and Joseph Tamir. Mr. Dultzin will soon return to his old job as treasurer of the Jewish Agency, a post he resigned when he was named to the Cabinet after last year’s national elections. The Liberal Party at the time was unable to agree on a successor.