Knesset Votes Approval of New Cabinet Program; Vote is 78 to 33

The Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, today voted approval of the new five-party Cabinet and its program presented last night by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. The vote was 78 to 33.

The Aguda, the Communists, the General Zionists and the right-wing Herut voted against the motion of confidence in the new Government. Rabbi I. M. Levin, explaining why Aguda had not joined the new Government, said that the Mapai rejected two conditions Aguda proposed for joining the coalition. These were a law banning Christian missionary activities in Israel and a national anti-pig law.

Levi Eshkol, Finance Minister, closed the debate on the Cabinet instead of Premier Ben-Gurion, who was home on doctor’s orders. Mr. Eshkol expressed regret on behalf of the Premier that not all the invited parties had responded to the Mapai invitation to join the new coalition, which does not include the General Zionists and the ultra-Orthodox Agudat Israel, the Herut and the Communist parties.

Voicing the hope that the opposition would be constructive, Mr. Eshkol, citing economic progress in recent years, said that the Government Investment Center this year had approved projects totalling $70,000,000, compared with $15,000,000 in 1956. He reported that industrial exports this year increased 50 percent.

The new Government program contained, in addition to an offer of mutual total disarmament with the Arab states and of expansion of the Israel-Arab armistice agreements into non-aggression pacts, a promise of increased efforts to bring in Jews from “countries of distress, both in Europe and in Afro-Asian countries, and to provide houses for all newcomers still living in transit centers. The program also pledged:

1. “Loyal support of the world Zionist movement” in accordance with the law on the status of the movement.

2. Free high school for children of poor families and graduated tuition fees in high schools for the less well off. No change was contemplated in the relation of state and religion. Education for “Jewish consciousness” will be continued in the public schools.

3. Expansion of health insurance to the entire population by a guarantee to every Israeli of the right to Join any existing Sick Fund. A special committee will be set up to provide alternative methods for those unwilling to join existing health insurance programs.

4. Continuation of security measures, particularly continued military government in border areas populated mostly by Arabs, which is required by the hostility of the neighboring Arab states. Such measures would, however, be restricted by examining each case in terms of national security.

5. Construction of new roads and expanded electrification in the Arab areas.

The new Government also promised that drafting of “basic laws” intended to form Israel’s permanent constitution would be completed during the new Government’s four year term of office and that the new laws would ensure the freedom and equality of all citizens.

The first speaker in the debate on a motion of confidence in the new Government was Menachem Beigin, the leader of the right-wing Herut, who began by assuring the Knesset that his party would be a “constructive” opposition. However, he created a stir by declaring that Herut would introduce a bill soon to abolish military government in Arab-populated border areas.

Yaacov Hazan, a Mapam deputy, also created a stir by declaring that it appeared that a Mapam vote with the opposition could ensure passage of such a law. This would require that Mapam resign from the coalition to vote with the opposition, posing the possibility of a fight within the new Government.

Three Arab Knesset deputies voiced support during the debate for the new coalition Government. Expressing appreciation for progress in Israel’s Arab-populated areas, they urged further relaxation of military government in border areas and the expediting of claims of Arabs who left Israel villages during the 1948 war.