Prof. Uhrbach apparently is also the nominee of the Gahal opposition faction. While Gahal has not nominated him formally, it has declared its support for him. The Uhrbach candidacy emerged as more than a mere symbolic threat to Dr. Katchalski after Premier Golda Meir vetoed last night an attempt by Labor Party leaders to reach an arrangement with the smaller Knesset factions Under the proposed deal, the small factions were to vote for Katchalski. In return, the Labor Party would drop its electoral reform legislation due for a final vote in the Knesset this week. The measure, dealing with the distribution of surplus votes in national elections, will strengthen the major parties at the expense of the smaller ones.
Mrs. Meir was said to have ruled out the deal because it might affect Gahal cooperation with the Labor Alignment on other legislation of mutual interest.
Knesset observers said today that Katchalski’s election now hinged on the Independent Liberal Party. If all four ILP Knesset members vote for him he will probably win on the first ballot where 61 votes are required, they said. A major uncertainty, however, is the votes of the Rafi wing of the Labor Party, disgruntled by Katchalski’s defeat of their candidate, Deputy Knesset Speaker Yitzhak Navon in the Central Committee elections a week ago. Some Rafi members might abstain in the secret presidential ballot April 10 though Labor Party leaders say that would be tantamount to an open revolt against the party leadership.
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