Prospects for Settlement of Israel’s Cabinet Crisis Improve; Two Points to Be Settled

The outlook for settlement of the 13-day-old Cabinet crisis appeared brighter today as Mapai and Religious Bloc leaders approached a common position with only two points of disagreement remaining.

A formula worked out by the Religious Bloc calls for the formation of a Ministerial Committee to explore all demands of the Religious Bloc. “Until an agreement has been reached a status quo will remain in all religious matters,” the statement adds. David Ben Gurion, however, insists that the word “until” be replaced by the word “if” But it is reported that Mr. Ben Gurion has agreed to abide by whatever wording is found acceptable by the Mapai Political Committee and Parliamentary group which met today in Tel Aviv.

Mr. Ben Gurien’s demand to the Religious Bloc that it pledge to remain in the Cabinet until the present term of the government runs out in January, 1953, was met by a counter-formula on the part of the Orthodox parties which ?eads: “All coalition parties declare that they sincerely desire to complete the constitutional term of the government.” The Religious Bloc leaders are also assembling in Tel Aviv to await the Mapai’s decision after which they will give their final reply.

In the event that these two points of difference can be resolved a 13-man Cabinet, including the controversial proposed Minister of Trade and Industry, Jack Gering, will be presented to the Knesset for a vote of confidence, which it will undoubtedly receive. The prospects for an early settlement are improved by the desire of all parties to aid the Washington conference for Israel and Jewish rehabilitation which opened today.

Last night the leaders of the majority of Israel’s major parties declared that the only solution for the crisis is new elections. They expressed this opinion at a “symposium” press conference at which they reviewed the events of the past two weeks.

However, Dr. Pinhas Rosen, Progressive Party leader and Justice Minister in the dissolved Cabinet, who yesterday surrendered his weekwold Mandate to form a new government, told the round-table conference that “I am not sure that there will not be a solution of the problem within the next few days” with the establishment of a 13-man Cabinet. Dr, Rosen, who revealed that he is still conferring with David Ben Gurion and other party leaders, said he felt that his “mission” is not a failure. He indicated that he will continue his mediation attempts.

The Mapam representative at the press conference, Israel Bar Yehuda, insisted that the best solutions were either new elections or the establishment of a labor coalition of the Mapai and Mapam based on a nutually acceptable political program. In response to a question, he said that the Communist Party would be an acceptable partner in such a (##)ition if it accepted the Mapai-Mapam program.

Elections were also suggested by Yochanan Bader of the Herut, who revealed that his party had undertaken unsuccessfully to unite the Herut, General Zionists, Mizrachi, Hapoel Hamizrachi, Agudas Israel and the Poale Agudah in one Parliamentary group.

Dr. Jacob Klebanov of the General Zionists said there is “no way out” except immediate elections since the present regime had “failed.” He added that he foresaw a new coalition in the future including General Zionists participation based on a “sound economic policy, the encouragement of private initiative and the end of discrimination against any sector of the population.”