Mapai Leader Reveals Differences Between Sharett and Ben Gurion

The “vital” differences between Moshe Sharett and Premier David Ben Gurion which ended in the resignation of the former from the Israel Cabinet included the question of whether Jerusalem should be the capital of the Jewish State, it was revealed by Baruch Azanya, a Mapai member of Parliament, last night.

Addressing a Mapai Party meeting at nearby Kibbutz Netzer, Mr. Azanya asserted that the two top leaders of the party and the government had also disagreed over opening the road to Elath and on such incidents like the Gaza strip attack when Israelis crossed Egyptian lines to deal retaliative blows. Mr. Azanya, who called Mr. Sharett’s resignation a “tragedy for the Mapai,” insisted that there was no difference of opinion between Messrs. Sharett and Ben Gurion on such questions as orientation toward East or West, or opposition to a preventive war.

In his first public appearance since his resignation as Foreign Minister, Moshe Sharett told a Mapai rally here last night that selective immigration from North Africa was essential to the security of Israel. Speaking of Tunisia and Morocco, Mr. Sharett expressed the hope that the Moslem countries would not use their freedom to suppress the aspirations of other nations nor to attempt to “uproot Jewish sentiment and devotion” to Israel.

Pinchas Lavon was unanimously elected general secretary of the Histadrut at a meeting of the labor federation executive here this week-end, succeeding Mordecai Namir, who recently became Minister of Labor. The only abstentions in the vote were registered by the Communist delegates.