Prime Minister Levi Eshkol will probably postpone for several days the presentation of a new Cabinet to the Knesset (Parliament), which he was scheduled to do tomorrow, it was indicated here today. The purpose of such a postponement was to enable the Premier to make renewed efforts to include the National Religious Party in the coalition.
Without the NRP, Premier Eshkol’s narrow coalition would include only his Mapai-Achdut Avoda alignment, Mapam and the Independent Liberals, and would command only a slim majority of 62 of the 120 Knesset votes. The religious party, a member of the current caretaker Government and of the Eshkol coalition before the elections last November 2, has thus far refused to join the new coalition unless its demands for stricter Sabbath enforcement are met. The Premier is now expected to submit his new Cabinet either later this week or on Monday of next week.
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