Prospects for the return of four General Zionists to the Israel Cabinet, which they quit earlier this week, appeared improved today following lengthy conferences between Premier David Ben Gurion and the four former ministers.
At the same time, the threat that the government might fall if the centrists refused to return was lessened by the announcement of the small Progressive Party that it would not withdraw from the coalition. This announcement came after a party council session at which the Progressives addressed an appeal to both the major groups in the coalition to restore the status quo.
(In New York, the Israel Consulate announced that Levi Eshkol, Mapai Minister of Finance was leaving for Israel today and that he would participate in the Cabinet crisis discussions next week. It added that Minister without portfolio Pinhas Lavon, who is also in New York, will return to Israel Saturday. Labor Minister Golda Myerson reviewed the crisis for a group of Jewish trade union leaders and editors.)
Meanwhile, the Agudas Israel and Mapam Party councils were meeting in Tel Aviv to consider their stand in relation to Mapai Party overtures on their joining the government. The Agudah’s decision will have nothing to do with the school situation, since the Orthodox Party has decided to keep its educational system divorced from the state set-up.
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