Negotiations behind closed doors continued today between representatives of the Mapai and the Mapam looking toward participation in the coalition government by Mapam. The two sessions today lasted a total of five hours. Mapai spokesmen said that no final decision was reached, but that the negotiations were still fluid, with hope of eventual success. The conference will be resumed next Tuesday.
Conferees on both sides indicated that the Tuesday meeting may well be decisive. Mapam is represented by Yitzhak Ben Aharon, Meir Yaari and Israeli Galili. It is understood that the three men will urge a “minimum policy” in the government’s economic, domestic and foreign policies. At the Tuesday session. Mapai is expected to be represented by Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett and Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan.
The Mapam delegates are understood to have brought up today Premier David Ben Gurion’s recent speech in which he labeled Mapam as forerunners and advocates in Israel of “Yewsektia”–the “Jewish section” of the Soviet Communist Party. The Mapam delegates stressed that “accounts would be settled later” on this issue.
They than outlined their minimum demands in economic questions, defense and foreign policy. The issue of distributing Cabinet portfolios among the parties participating in the government–specifically Mapam’s share–was not discussed, it was learned.
Mapai delegates are understood to have repeated their party’s invitation to Mapam to join the coalition Cabinet for the time being, leaving basic policy demands for subsequent adjustment. The emphasized, however, that a binding reply on policy matters would be given Tuesday.
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