The next President of Israel will not be chosen until the end of the 30-day period following Dr. Weizmann’s death during which a new President must be named under Israeli law, it was indicated in informed political circles today.
It was pointed out that the Presidency will be decided upon at the same time as the current Cabinet “crisis” is solved by the expansion or other form of stabilization of the government coalition. This problem is not expected to be solved in less than the next month.
A number of names have been put forward unofficially for the Presidency, but none of the parties has made any official decision nor, as far as can be learned, made an approach to any other party on the matter. Prominent among those being discussed are Joseph Sprinzak, Acting President and Speaker of the Knesset, a leader of the Mapai Party. A second possible choice is said to be Dr. Pinchas Rosen, leader of the centrist Progressive Party.
Also mentioned by some newspapers as possible choices for the Presidency are Dr. Moshe Smoira, Chief Justice of the Israel Supreme Court; Dr. Nahum Goldmann, co-chairman of the Jewish Agency executive; and Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett. It is suggested that if Mr. Sharett is elected President. Abba Eban, Israel delegate to the United Nations, might be named Foreign Minister.
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