Yaacov Meridor, a businessman and former Irgun leader who Premier Menachem Begin has persuaded to return to political activity, has taken a position that appears to run counter to the Likud government’s public assurances of unflagging support for the Christian forces in Lebanon. In an interview published in Maariv several days ago, Meridor said Israel had no obligations toward the Lebanese Christians.
“We should not be the crusaders in the Middle East,” he said, stressing that Israel’s policy in Lebanon should be limited by its own direct security and defense interests. The emergence of Meridor as a Herut candidate in the June 30 Knesset elections at Begin’s urging has led to speculation that he is being groomed as a possible successor to the Prime Minister.
Begin has denied this. But most political observers are convinced that he will be appointed to a major Cabinet post in the new government in the event of a Likud victory and that he will be the dominant personality in the government after Begin.
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