The election by the Israel Parliament of veteran Zionist Zalman Shazar as President of Israel to succeed the late Izhak Ben-Zvi became a virtual certainty today after the National Religious party decided by a majority vote to support his candidacy.
The decision came after a dramatic vote by the Religious party members of 12 for and five against. A last minute approach by the Herut party for a different candidate to keep all major Government posts from being under Mapai control was rejected by the Religious party.
Even the Poale Agudat Israel party decided last night to support Shazar but the party will not second his nomination, agreeing simply to Join in an affirmative vote. If these decisions are implemented in the balloting, Shazar would have a majority of nearly 80 votes in Parliament.
Leaders of the Liberal party meanwhile discussed with Herut leaders the possibility of submitting the name of Dr. Peretz Bernstein, a Liberal leader, as a candidate after Dr. Pinchas Rosen, Liberal and former Justice Minister, declined to run because no other party would support his candidacy. Dr. Bernstein said he might run for the post if Herut would support him. Herut officials said they were considering that question.
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