Premier David Ben Gurion, addressing the Israel Parliament today, said that Israel will start no wars, but if war is forced on it. Israel will see it through to victory.
The Premier spoke after the right-wing Herut Party introduced a no-confidence motion against the government charging it with being “fatalistically passive in the deteriorating military and political situation.” The motion was defeated by 66 to 13, with 14 abstentions. The latter included the General Zionist, Agudist and Communist deputies.
“This government,” Mr. Ben Gurion said, “proclaims that we will not start any wars. This government kept on saying for the last eight years, since the inception of the state, that we have to prepare for a second round for which our enemies are preparing. But if war breaks out, we will meet the enemy with all our force and beat him.
“We always thought and now think that war can be prevented,” Mr. Ben Gurion continued. “But the prevention of war is not in our hands. Should such a war come both the governments of the Soviet Union and of the United States must share responsibility the USSR for supplying arms to Egypt and the U. S. for failing to supply balancing weapons to Israel.
“This government knew all the time that war was possible,” the Premier stated, “and it prepared for any eventuality. We thought that we have the moral and judicial right to ask for arms, and if war breaks out the United States Government will bear the greatest responsibility if it does not supply arms within the next few days.”
BEN GURION’S CHARGES AGAINST HERUT PROVOKE TUMULT IN KNESSET
Pandemonium broke out in the Knesset when the Premier told the rightwing-deputies that the “Herut has never fought and never will.” The entire 13-member faction rose to its feet shouting. It was met by an overwhelming number of deputies of Mr. Ben Gurion’s Mapai Party, who backed their man as vociferously. After a considerable interlude the Speaker’s gavel, wielded by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Mintz, finally could be heard over a silent House. He returned the House to business after announcing that the behaviour of several of the deputies would be the subject of a complaint to the Home Committee.
Menahem Beigin, Herut leader, began his attack on the government by accusing it of bringing Israel to a sorry state by “inefficient, incapable leadership.” He charged that Israel was in such a condition, as a result of Mr. Ben Gurion’s stewardship, that its enemies could attack and destroy it. He demanded that the government “go.” A plea for reorganization of the government and the formation of the broadest possible coalition was voiced by IM. Levin, speaking for the Agudas Israel.
Meanwhile, a new government crisis seems to be brewing and observers here did not rule out the possibility of the Mizrachi and Poale Mizrachi walking out of the coalition if they did not obtain their demand for implementation of a plank in the coalition platform granting them “equality and the right of self-determination” in reference to agricultural and educational matters. The religious parties complain that the Mapai has “usurped” the right of other parties in the coalition.
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