Premier Levi Eshkol told reporters today in Hadassah Hospital–where he has been under observation for exhaustion since last Saturday–that he feels “well” and hopes “to conclude negotiations for formation of a new coalition and to present a wide government in time.”
The Premier told the newsmen jokingly that his presence in the hospital was a “fine” for not taking a vacation rest three weeks ago at the close of the election campaign in which his Mapai-Achdut Avoda alignment slate won a resounding victory.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Golda Meir, the Foreign Minister, acting on the Premier’s behalf, called on Moshe Shapiro, the National Religious Party leader, in another effort to persuade the religious bloc to join the new coalition. The NRP is a member of the outgoing coalition which is now in a caretaker status pending formation of a new Government.
NRP sources said Mr. Shapiro did not give Mrs. Meir a definite reply but it was reported that chances of the religious bloc joining the coalition had increased in recent days and that a compromise may be found even on religious bloc demands for a national Sabbath law.
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