Jockeying for Position Begins

The partisan struggle for the future leadership of Israel began in earnest today as President Ephraim Katzir prepared for consultations with the various party and faction leaders preliminary to asking one of them to form a caretaker government. With elections anticipated some time in May, prominent political figures are already jockeying for position and seeking public support.

Premier Yitzhak Rabin, who resigned Monday night, was out in the hustings today firing salvoes at the Likud opposition. He addressed groups in Affulah, Ein-Harod and Tiberias. The voters, he declared, must choose between Labor, which he characterized as “the Zionism of accomplishment” and Likud, “the Zionism of rhetoric.”

But he made no mention in any of these meetings of coming closer to Mapam’s demand that the Alignment include in its platform a statement that Israel would be ready for territorial concessions on the West Bank. Rabin merely reiterated that Israel was ready for far-reaching concessions.

Former Foreign Minister Abba Eban, expressing confidence that he could provide the unifying spirit needed by Labor to win, declared on a television interview that he regards himself as a serious candidate for the office of Premier.

But most political observers discounted Eban’s chances. They see Defense Minister Shimon Peres posing the most powerful challenge to Rabin’s leadership. Peres, who has not concealed his intention to try to unseat Rabin, met yesterday with Menachem Beigin, leader of Likud’s Herut faction, and will meet later with Simcha Ehrlich, head of the Liberal Party wing of Likud.

MAPAM PRESSING FOR CONCESSIONS

Mapam, meanwhile, implied strongly that if Peres is chosen to head the Labor Party list on election day, it would quit the Labor Alignment. Naftali Ben-Moshe told a meeting of Mapam’s political committee last night that the next Prime Minister “must be chosen in consultation with us.” He demanded that Labor assure its Alignment partner that Peres, a hard liner on territorial concessions, will not be Labor’s choice.

But Mapam secretary general Meir stressed that the party was presenting no ultimatums. Apart from its opposition to Peres, Mapam wants Labor to introduce language into its platform indicating readiness for significant territorial concessions in all areas, including Judaea-Samaria, as part of an overall peace settlement with the Arabs and a readiness to negotiate with any Palestinian group that recognizes Israel’s right to exist within secure boundaries.

Mapam set Jan. 30 as the date for its party convention, at which time, presumably, it will have to decide whether to remain in the Labor Alignment or go to the polls on its own. But it is unlikely to have a reply by then to its political demands from Labor. The Labor Party convention is set for Feb. 22.

NO CHANGES DURING TRANSITION PERIOD

Meanwhile, Israel Galili, Minister-Without-Portfolio in the Rabin government and an influential member of the Labor Party’s inner circle, declared in the Knesset today that there would be no change in the government’s settlement policies, even during the transition period. He said those policies called for maximum Jewish settlement on both sides of the “green line,” meaning in Israel proper and in the administered territories. He stressed that settlement was more important than ever in view of recent developments in the UN General Assembly and Security Council.

Former Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, who has yet to disclose his own political plans, warned the Labor Party yesterday not to authorize the next government to make any territorial concessions without taking the issue to the people and cautioned the party not to include in its platform any commitment to concessions on the West Bank.

Dayan warned that should such a plank be included; the U.S. would use it to pressure Israel into making these concessions even before a total peace is in the offing. In addition, the U.S. would seek further concessions and Israel would have no choice but to accede, he said.

THE MOST EXPENSIVE ELECTION

The elections promise to be the most expensive in Israel’s history. Under Israeli law, the Treasury allocates money for campaigning to each faction on the basis of the number of seats it holds in parliament. According to the draft budget for fiscal 1977-78, Israeli taxpayers will finance the elections in the amount of IL 125 million compared to IL 37 million under the current budget.

As of Oct. 1, each Knesset member was worth IL 520,000 to his party. The allocation took into consideration price increases in April and October. By next May inflation will have increased that amount. The Labor Alignment, with 50 seats, will receive about IL 50 million, assuming a 15 percent inflation rate.

Likud, with 36 Knesset members, will be granted IL 22 million and the National Religious Party IL 6 million for its ten MKs. New parties will receive nothing unless they succeed in winning Knesset seats. Existing parties that lose seats do not have to return money to the Treasury.