Progress has been made in the negotiations for the setting up of Israel’s Cabinet, it was reported here today in a joint communique issued by the four political parties concerned in the talks. The groupings consist of the Mapai Party-Achdut Avoda alignment, the National Religious Party, the Independent Liberal and Mapam. The communique specifically stated that “progress has been made especially on the question of religious legislation.”
The NRP has been insisting, as a pre-condition for its entry into the next Government, upon religious laws and regulations that would be more stringent than some agreeable to Mapam, the Independent Liberals and some sections of the Mapai-Achdut alignment.
Observers here, however, were still doubtful whether a Cabinet can be formed by the deadline of January 9, the cut-off date for Prime Minister Levi Eshkol’s mandate to form a Cabinet. The negotiators for all the parties concerned have been instructed to confer again with the executive bodies of their respective groups regarding the issues at stake.
Meanwhile, Mr. Eshkol, who was hospitalized recently due to exhaustion, and was confined to his home again yesterday by his physicians, was reported to be recuperating today. It was not known yet, however, when he will be able to participate personally in the Cabinet-forming talks. Forbidden by his doctors to take a hand in those talks, he has passed on the task to his colleagues in the Mapai-Achdut alignment.
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