The central committee of the Mapai party decided unanimously tonight that Levi Eshkol should be asked to form a new Government. Mr. Eshkol resigned as Premier Monday in his fight against former Premier David Ben-Gurion’s demand for a new inquiry into the Pinhas Lavon Affair.
The central committee decided tonight by a majority vote that the question of whether there should be a new investigation should be left to a decision of the Mapai Ministers in the Cabinet. A proposal that the central committee should recommend to Mapai Ministers acceptance of Mr. Ben-Gurion’s demand for a new inquiry was rejected by 124 to 61.
The actions of the central committee were in accord with recommendations approved last night by the party secretariat and constituted a clear victory for Mr. Eshkol in his struggle against Mr. Ben-Gurion on this and other issues. The struggle revolved around a disastrous security mishap in 1954 when Mr. Lavon was Defense Minister, a post out of which he was forced in 1955. A Ministerial Committee, of which Mr. Eshkol was a member, cleared Mr. Lavon in 1960 of responsibility for the orders which led to the mishap but Mr. Ben-Gurion rejected that finding and others clearing Mr. Lavon.
Mr. Ben-Gurion, who spoke for an hour last night before the Mapai secretariat, declined to participate in the vote. A proposal to recommend an investigation as he had demanded was voted down 16 to eight. Mr. Eshkol did not attend the meeting, the outcome of which was a complete victory for his stand in the dispute.
Popular opposition to Mr. Ben-Gurion’s battle continued to rise. In an unprecedented occurrence, anti-Ben-Gurion inscriptions appeared on the walls of Tel Aviv’s main streets. Students and faculty members of Bar-Ilan University staged a demonstration today against any renewal of inquiries into the Lavon case and in support of Mr. Ben-Gurion.
During the meeting last night, Mr. Ben-Gurion said “I have only one or two more years to live. I don’t want Israel to fall down after I die.” He insisted he sought only justice for Israel in his fight for a new inquiry. Housing Minister Joseph Almogi and former Agriculture Minister Moshe Dayan were among the eight who voted for a new inquiry.
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