A member of the Israel Cabinet warned today that the ensconcement of the ex-Mufti of Jerusalem as the head of a so-called Palestine Government in the Gaza Strip might constitute a “provocation” compelling Israel “to consider the possibility of liberation operations in order to save ourselves in time.”
Moshe Carmel, Minister of Communications, speaking to some 3, 000 delegates and guests at the national conference of the left-wing Socialist Achdut Avodah Party, asserted that the present constellation of the Arab world poses a threat to Israel, particularly with the continuous flow of arms to the United Arab Republic of Egypt and Syria which are in-tended for use against the Jewish State.
Mr. Carmel called for Israeli non-identification as far as any of the major world power blocs are concerned. He also attacked the concept of Israel’s orientation toward a European or Mediterranean treaty organization, insisting that it must integrate itself within its own immediate area.
Earlier, at the opening of the parley, Brig. Yigal Alon, member of the Knesset, rejected Mapai overtures to its Labor partners in the Cabinet to merge into one party. At this stage, he said, the Mapai would only swallow up all the other labor groups and Israel’s interests would better be served at this time by the continued independent existence of the various parties. He also asked for complete divorcement of the parties from the country’s economic life.
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.
