Gen. Ezer Weizman, former commander of the Israel Air Force and a former cabinet minister, accused the government yesterday of “playing down” the threat of 50 Soviet-made SAM missiles installed in the Suez cease-fire zone by Egypt. Gen. Weizman, who entered politics barely a year ago as Minister of Transport representing the Herut faction in Premier Meir’s coalition government, addressed the Herut national convention. “We are at a very dangerous point of self-delusion,” he declared. “One month ago the government was up in arms about the missiles. The Army intelligence chief displayed to the world the dimensions of the threat. Suddenly, within a few days, the 50 missile sites have vanished, if not from the west bank of the Suez Canal, at least from the political landscape,” Gen. Weizman said. He was referring to recent statements by Deputy Premier Yigal Allon and Defense Minister Moshe Dayan that Israel is militarily stronger now than it was three months ago despite the missile build-up, and was fully capable of defeating any Egyptian thrust.
Gen. Weizman is a brother-in-law of Gen. Dayan and, like him, a career military officer whose views are highly respected. Politically, however, he adheres to the right-wing, nationalist Herut which, along with the Liberal Party, constitutes Gahal, Israel’s second largest political party. Gahal quit the coalition government last July in protest against Israel’s acceptance of the American peace initiative which included the Jarring talks and the cease-fire. Gahal, especially its Herut wing, is more vehemently opposed than ever to the Jarring talks. Herut leader Menachem Beigin has run into opposition in his efforts to have Herut and the Liberals merge into a single faction. He proposed a merger in a speech Sunday night. Yesterday, Liberal Party chairman Joseph Sapir said he did not think a merger was feasible. He said the present partnership was satisfactory and has proven its effectiveness in the parliamentary life of Israel. Gen. Weizman said the Immediate military menace to Israel is not as great now as it was in June, 1967. However, he said, in its desire to re-enter the Jarring talks, the government might bargain away the nation’s security. “The Russians are here and there should be a clear cut policy toward a permanent Soviet presence,” he said.
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