International Likud seeks partner amid fears Begin may have to quit

Press, 25 May 1977, Page 8

International Likud seeks partner amid fears Begin may have to quit

NZPA-Rcuter

Cel Aviv

Ihe Right-wing Likud Party which won the i recent Israeli General Election is to begin negotiations ! with possible coalition partners today with fears that its leader, Mr Menachem Begin, may not be fit enough to assume the burden of the Prime Ministership.

Mr Begin, who is 64, was rushed to hospital on Monday suffering from strain and exhaustion and complaining of chest pains after non-stop political activity since his election triumph last Tuesday. His doctors said that he had not had another heart attack — he suffered one two months ago — but needed rest. Speaking to reporters yesterday, the medical team was unable to promise that Mr Begin would be strong enough to carry a heavy political burden. But his supporters and close associates said that he would definitely head Israel’s new Government. A former Israeli Air Force! Commander, Mr Ezer Weiz-| mann, a possible contender; for the top post if Mr Begin, is forced to retire, said that; negotiations with the reformist Democratic Move-1 ment for Change and the< National Religious Party! would proceed as scheduled, i “Mr Begin will be kept!

; fully informed and he will|i make the decisions,” Mr ; Weizmann said. ;i But the talks with the! D.M.C. were not expected tob be easy.’ Mr Begin’s tradi-i tional hard-line attitude toj : the occupied territories, |i : Middle East peace talks, and, 1 : relations with the United I : States could make it very! : difficult for the D.MC. to' 1 . join a Likud-led coalition. I' The new D.M.C. party i' 1 insists on a policy based on I. 1 territorial concessions on the|; 1 occupied West Bank of Jor-'j dan in exchange for peace,) whereas Mr Begin has statedi| I that “there was no need to! : annex liberated territoryK ; which is legally and his-|i torically part ot Israel.’' I As the talks between rep-ji j resentatives of Likud and 'lthe D.M.C. get under way, 1 i; the Labour Party, shocked -by its stunning election ■ defeat, is trying to persuade ] jthe Democratic Movement b for Change to join it in an ' lOpposition partnership. I The suggestion was made t! by the Transport Minister .

i(Mr Gad Yaacobi) and; aroused considerable support' ■in Labour circles. I If such contacts develop,; they will be conducted by, Ithe Prime Minister (Mr Yit-i |zhak Rabin), who has an- 1 mounced that he is returning ;to full political activity. ) Mr Rabin — con-| istitutionally unable to resign, I from a caretaker government) ; — took leave of absence) until after the elections be-) ) cause of a scandal involving) )an illegal foreign currency) ’account maintained by him; land his wife in Washington. , i Mr Shimon Peres will con-| Itinue to hold the top Labour, I Party post. Mr Rabin will l | return personally to hand) lover to Mr Begin when the! I Likud complete the forma- 1 'tion of the new government, j The new government is) expected to include the Nat-j ional Religious Party. The! N.R.P., although a traditional) partner of all Labour Cabi-j nets since the establishment! of Israel, is ideologically I closer to the Likud than the) D.M.C. on most internal and 1 Arab-affairs matters.