After a tense two-hour debate the Israel Parliament today adopted a proposal that it concentrate its efforts in the direction of working out basic legislation which will gradually be built into a Constitution.
The vote–50 to 0, with 13 abstentions–came after two other proposals dealing with a Constitution failed to receive a majority. The successful resolution was a compromise offered by the Mapai, Sephardim, Progressives and WIZO. The Religious Bloc had supported a proposal that the drafting of a Constitution be postponed indefinitely, while 37 members of various parties insisted upon having a Constitution drafted immediately.
After the vote, Dr. Moshe Sneh declared that the Mapam will fight the arrangement as voted until it is changed. Eri Jabotinsky, Revisionist delegate, speaking only on his own behalf, said that he will propose the dissolution of the parliament and will ask for new elections.
Earlier, the Parliament voted to approve a report by its Labor Committee on the recent picketing of an immigrant camp by Histadrut workers protesting the fact that some of the immigrants had accepted employment at wages below the union standard. The report approved the policy of the Histadrut labor exchanges in fighting the use of unorganized labor.
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