The National Religious party indicated today it would support in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, the bill of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion’s Mapai party which would set August 29 as the date for new general elections to end the current Government crisis.
A Knesset presidium decided that all bills for an election date will have a first reading Monday. It appeared that if the Religious party did support the Mapai bill, it was virtually certain the bill would have the majority vote needed for passage.
Opposition parties have come out for a much earlier date, as early as June, in the hope of capitalizing on the internal troubles of the Mapai party stemming from Mr. Ben-Gurion’s fight against Pinhas Lavon, who was forced out of his post as Secretary General of the Histadrut, Israel’s Federation of Labor.
President Ben-Zvi was expected to publish tomorrow an official statement that under the circumstances there was no way to form by negotiation a Government to replace the one Mr. Ben-Gurion toppled by resigning January 31 and therefore elections had to be held. Justice Minister Pinhas Rosen was understood to feel that constitutionally the President was required to call on at least one additional candidate for a mandate to try to form a new Government before declaring complete failure.
LEADERSHIP OF LIBERAL FRONT MAY BE OFFERED TO DR. GOLDMANN
Meanwhile the talks between the General Zionists and the Progressive party on formation of a new “liberal” non-Socialist party were reported progressing. Formal talks for that goal were expected soon between the two parties.
A key position in the proposed “liberal” party would be offered to Dr. Nahum Goldmann if he decided to settle in Israel, it was reported here today. Organizers of the proposed new party indicated they intended to consult with Dr. Goldmann immediately after his scheduled arrival in Israel this week.
It was recalled that several years ago Dr. Goldmann made a vigorous effort for just such a merger and it was widely believed he would have agreed to serve as head of such a unified party. The Progressives at that time rejected the merger idea and Dr. Goldmann abstained from further merger efforts. With new elections likely within six months and the drop in Mapai prestige stemming from the Ben-Gurion struggle, the moves toward such a merger have entered the practical stage.
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