Election campaign violence, directed chiefly against the opposition Labor Alignment by Likud activists, allegedly inspired by or at least condoned by Likud, has become a major issue with elections less than two weeks away.
The latest incident occurred here today when Laborite Yaacov Ohion found the inside of his car gutted by fire and the outside smeared with the word “traitor” and other grafitti. Elsewhere in Jerusalem, the Labor Party reported its headquarters were broken into during the night and damage done to property.
The Labor Party is obviously seeking to focus attention on such incidents and the rowdyism and violence that has attended recent Labor election rallies all over Israel. On its TV cast last night, the Labor Party showed films of the disruption of a speech by party chairman Shimon Peres by pro-Begin youths in Petach Tikva Sunday night. Later, Likud screened a softspoken appeal by Premier Menachem Begin to “everyone” to cease election violence. He advised people to stay away from the rallies of parties they strongly opposed. But if they do attend, they must refrain from creating disturbances, he said.
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