Support of the present Government of Israel was pledged here today by the General Zionist Party despite its opposition to the government’s economic policies. At the same time the Herut Party, which is composed of former members and followers of the Irgun Zvai Leumi, issued a call to its membership to be ready “to take over the country’s administration in the near future.”
“The Herut will extend its hand to all bodies and parties concerned with the welfare of Israel, in order to bring about the liberation of the country from the present regime,” Menachem Beigin, leader of the Herut Party, declared today. He invited other minority parties in Israel “to rally around the Herut for planning the preparation of a new regime” in the Jewish state.
Dr. Peretz Bernstein, leader of the General Zionist Party, addressing a meeting here, emphasized that General Zionists will continue to “struggle for attainment of their objectives, without precipitating the government’s resignation.” He added that the “present economic crisis–which culminated in the unplanned clothing rationing ordinance–is due chiefly to a shortage of foreign capital investments, for which urgent corrective action is necessary.”
The Israel Labor Party, which is predominant in the present government, today elected a central executive committee of 131 persons including all of its members in the Cabinet, the parliament and the Jewish Agency executive. The newly-elected executive of the party will hold its first meeting next week at which it will map plans for strengthening the position of the present government and for increasing the productivity of the country.
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.
