President Izhak Ben-Zvi was scheduled to begin tomorrow party consultations for the formation of Israel’s tenth Government which appeared likely today to develop into a lengthy and complicated series of negotiations. Mapai, as the largest party, will be the first to meet with the President. On Tuesday, the President will meet with leaders of the right-wing Herut and the Religious party, with the rest of the week set for meetings with leaders of the other parties.
The Herut and the General Zionists, it was reported, will urge the dissolution of the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and the holding of new elections. Only the religious groups among the parties in the coalition Mr. Ben-Gurion toppled last Tuesday by resigning as Prime Minister were considered certain to indicate readiness to serve with Mr. Ben-Gurion again. The others–the Mapam, Progressive party and the Achdut Avodah–were expected to tell Mr. Ben-Zvi that they did not see any possibility of rejoining a Ben-Gurion coalition.
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