Israeli Premier Golda Meir announced today that she has decided to run again for election next fall.
In a letter to Labor Party Secretary-General Aharon Yadlin she said she has “given in to the pleas of friends and colleagues” and decided not to retire. Mrs. Meir is 75.
Delegates to the Labor Party Central Council broke into wild cheering and applause when Yadlin read out Mrs. Meir’s letter here today.
Mrs. Meir’s decision ended a long period of uncertainty and, according to public opinion polls results, assures the continuation of the current government and its policies. Her decision to continue heading the Israeli government also shatters the hopes of such potential candidates as Defense Minister Moshe Dayan and Deputy Premier Yigal Allon.
Party officials have been pressing Mrs. Meir to run again as the only way to maintain party unity and prevent possible numerous splits in Labor Party ranks. These officials believed that she was the only person capable of maintaining party unity.
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