The prospect of a government crisis faded today when Mapam, bowing to pressure from its Labor Alignment partners, agreed not to support the Independent Liberal Party’s demand for an immediate Knesset vote on its controversial bill for limited civil marriages. Mapam is expected to join the other Alignment factions and the National Religious Party in turning down the ILP’s bid when the Knesset Presidium convenes in special session tomorrow to consider the matter.
All indications are that the ILP measure, introduced by former Attorney General Gideon Hausner, will not come up until sometime next fall. The Knesset recesses for the summer July 27. The Alignment Executive met this afternoon and decided unanimously to ask Knesset Speaker Israel Yeshayahu to schedule the Hausner bill after the recess.
Premier Golda Meir had threatened to dissolve her government if Mapam breached coalition discipline by voting for the Hausner bill in defiance of the government which was opposed. Yesterday Mrs. Meir settled differences with the NRP when she agreed to allow it to abstain when the Knesset votes on an amendment to the Law of Return specifying halachic conversions for prospective immigrants.
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