Labor Party leader Shimon Peres told newsmen after a meeting with Menachem Begin today that Labor will not join a Likud-led national unity coalition government. He said the party’s various bodies made that decision and stand by it. Begin said afterwards that he would continue to meet with Peres once a week to discuss political and defense problems pending the formation of a new government.
Begin also met with Premier Yitzhak Rabin at the latter’s Tel Aviv office this morning to discuss the technical details of transferring authority from the outgoing regime to the new government. He said that only questions of a practical nature were discussed. The subject of a Likud-Labor coalition partnership was not raised. Rabin said he would have further meetings with Begin to expedite the governmental transfer. Likud will appoint liaison men to each government department to ensure a smooth transition.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
