Weizman Calls for Early Elections

Defense Minister Ezer Weizman shook the political establishment last night by announcing on television that he favored holding early elections. He told a panel of interviewers that early elections would help the national morale. He acknowledged that he himself would like to be Premier one day –“I would like to be able to implement the things I believe in” — but said that in view of the Israeli political party constellation his chances were not very realistic.

Weizman said he favored advancing the elections so that “the nation of Israel may decide now which way it wants its government to go.” in view of the dissatisfaction and low morale in the country, the elections should be held in about six months, he said. The minimum period under low between the dissolution of the Knesset and the holding of elections is 100 days.

The elections, Weizman continued, would help bring about a “public and ideological shake up, and help pull the nation out of the slough of despondency in which, to an extent, it finds itself today, and to put the nation on the high rood.”

His answer to a question as to whether he would be prepared to serve as Defense Minister under a Labor government headed by Shimon Peres was that if he could serve the nation in the future “in one way or another, “he would do so. “I will consider first and foremost what is good for the nation, and I will also consider what is good for me. ” Weizman acknowledged that he had indeed considered resigning in the past, but he would decide on such a watershed in his career if and when he feels he has come to a “crossroad.”

REACTIONS BY LIBERAL PARTY LEADERS

Answering another question, he said he had not coordinated in advance his statement favoring early elections either with Premier Menachem Begin or with Deputy Premier Simcha Ehrlich, the Liberal Party leader who is considered Weizman’s strongest political ally. Ehrlich, nevertheless, reacting late last night, said he had not been surprised by Weizman’s statements. “He simply spelled out the opinions we knew he held. I admire his courage.” Ehrlich commented. He added that he “understood.” Weizman’s desire to be Premier one day.

(However another Liberal Party leader, Leon Dulzin, who was in Paris for a two day meeting of the presidium of the Brussels Conference on Soviet Jewry, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he “deplored” Weizman’s announcement. He said “it is wrong to criticize the government while the Prime Minister is engaged in difficult negotiations. “He said “new elections should not be held now. “Dulzin added that he thought Weizman would make “an excellent” Premier and “I hope he will lead us (the Likud) one day to victory. But now is not the time for such a change in the country’s leadership.”)

Asked if he feared early elections, Weizman replied: “That is not the important thing. What is important is what is good for the people.” Asked if he would go to early elections on the Liked ticket, he said that would “depends on how things will work out and what path the Likad chooses for itself.”

Would he join a centrist bloc ? Weizman answered that at present he was a member of Herut, and if the Likud followed a different path, he would remain within it. If not — his membership was conditional ….

The question regarding his possible membership in a centrist bloc was perhaps the most significant in terms of Israel’s political future. Some pundits here have long predicted the evolution of such a bloc, which would include Weizman and a number of Liberals and other Likud moderates, together with segments of what are now the Democratic Movement, Shai, the Independent Liberals, and perhaps others — such as loner Moshe Dayan, once Weizman’s brother-in-law and still his good friend.

Weizman said he hoped that his statements would not cause Begin any aggravation in Washington where the Premier had just concluded two days of talks with President Carter. He said he had told Begin directly the some things on several recent occasions.

There was no immediate reaction from Begin but Israel Radio reported that interior Minister Yosef Burg, who accompanied Begin to Washington, did have a reaction. Burg, significantly, seemed to criticize the timing rather than the content of Weizman’s call for early elections. Burg, himself, went on record earlier this month as viewing early elections as beneficial, but subsequently said he had second thoughts.

STUNNING SHOCK TO LIKUD

Weizman’s announcement on early elections came as a stunning shock to the Liked, particularly to the Herut wing of which the Defense Minister is a member. The Herut Knesset faction executive issued a statement today viewing Weizman’s announcement “very gravely” and “dissociating” the faction from the minister’s remakes. The faction as a whole is to be called into special session immediately after Independence Day to consider Weizman’s remarks, the executive’s statement said.

Faction chairman Holm Kaufman hinted that the statement was deliberately “restrained” because the members wanted to give Weizman a chance for “dialogue.” If such dialogue proved impossible, though, the Defense Minister ought to “draw the conclusions and resign, “Kaufman said. Weizman’s support of early elections and his criticism of the government’s functioning was especially inappropriate, the statement noted, at this time when the Premier is abroad on a vital national mission.

But Peres dubbed Weizman’s announcement “brave and patriotic, ” immediately fueling the rampant speculation that he and Weizman have evolved some sort of quiet political understanding regarding future cooperation in a new government.

Labor faction deputy chairman Danny Rosolio said Weizman in effect had expressed his non-confidence in the government in which he served. The Labor faction would submit a non-confidence motion as soon as the Knesset reconvened, Rosolio said. Peres, for his part, said the required Knesset majority for the dissolution of the House and the holding of early elections seemed to be forming.

In the Democratic Movement, which has long been teetering on the brink of secession from the government, leading members predicted that Weizman’s dramatic statement would heavily influence opinion when the party’s central committee meets at month and to decide whether to stay in the government or quit.