Weizman told to quit after bitter dispute

Press, 22 June 1978, Page 6

Weizman told to quit after bitter dispute

NZPA Tel Aviv Members of the Israeli Defence Minister’s own party have demanded he resign amid reports he called Prime Minister Menachem Begin a liar and stormed out of a Cabinet meeting saying, “I’m going to ready the Army for the next war.”

Political sources said some | members of Mr Ezer Weiz- ! man’s Herut Party in the Knesset called for his resig- ; nation, and others wanted to ' summon him in writing to explain his refusal to support Mr Begin’s policies. Mr Weizman had no comment on the controversy. He toured Arab towns and Jew- •. ish settlements on the occu- ' pied West Bank, but made ino mention of his opposition I to Mr Begin’s policies on the (future of occupied terri- ! tories.

The criticism focused on harsh comments he was reported to have made after the Cabinet approved a vaguely phrased response to United States requests for clarification of Israeli intentions on occupied territories.

The Opposition Labour Party newspaper, “Davar” quoted Mr Weizman as saying: “Those two (Begin and the Foreign Minister, Mr Moshe Dayan) have been lying to us for months. They are leading us to war in-

stead of grasping the opportunity to go toward peace.” The Government-controlled radio quoted two unidentified leaders of the Opposition as saying Mr Weizman had stormed out of the Cabinet meeting saying: “I’m going to ready the Army for the next war.”

i Mr Weizman was said to ihave described the Israeli response to American requests I for clarification as “fraud land evasion that is likely to make the Egyptians think the Begin Government has been leading them by the nose." Mr Weizman was the only Minister missing from the Knesset when it endorsed the plans during a raucous six-hour session on Monday. Mr Weizman insisted throughout the month-long debate that an Israeli statement of willingness to resolve the question of sovereignty over the West Bank was vital to renewing Egyp-tian-Israeli peace talks. This was in contrast to Mr Begin’s determination to avoid any language that might be seen as weakening Israel's claim to the occupied territories or its presence there.

i Foreign Ministry sources I called Mr Weizman’s reported comments a blow to IsI rael’s effort to explain its I position abroad.