A period of national mourning was declared yesterday by the Cabinet for Reuben Barkatt, Speaker of the Knesset, who died here Tuesday night of a heart attack at the age of 66. A state funeral will be held tomorrow. Barkatt will be buried on the Mount of Olives. The election of a successor will take place after the traditional 30-day mourning period. Today, Deputy Speaker Itzhak Navon was named Acting Speaker. His appointment has no bearing on his chances to succeed Barkatt.
Navon and Israel Yeshayahu, secretary general of the Labor Party, are the two leading candidates for Barkatt’s office. Both are Sephardic. Navon is a member of a family that has lived in Israel for generations. Yeshayahu was born in Yemen and settled in Palestine as a child. He was political secretary to former Premier David Ben-Gurion for many years and served in the Cabinet as Minister of Posts for four years.
Political observers here believe Yeshayahu has the edge to succeed Barkatt. His candidacy is favored by the Labor Party over that of Navon who has the support of the opposition Gahal faction, Should Yeshayahu win the speaker’s post, the Labor Party will have to find a new secretary general. Israeli radio and television cancelled today their regular programs, a mark of respect for the late Knesset Speaker, and broadcast psalms, dirges and eulogies. Flags on all public buildings flew at half mast.
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