Weizman unleashes political storm with anti-Begin call

Press, 18 April 1980, Page 6

Weizman unleashes political storm with anti-Begin call

NZPA-Reuter Tel Aviv Israeli’s Defence Minister [Mr Ezer Weizman) unleashed a serious political gtorm when he said on television that he favoured calling an immediate General Election instead of waiting for the present Government’s term of office to end in November, 1981. Sources in the ruling Likud Coalition said that Mr Weiztnan’s declaration could be viewed only as a direct challenge to the Prime Minister (Mr Menachem Begin) and an attempt to bring down the Government.

“The people should decide how which path it wishes Its Government to take,” Mr Weizman said.

“When you look at the newspapers you see a situation of dissatisfaction and depression. We have too many doubts, too many internal debates.”

Mr Weizman, shown by public-opinion polls to be the most popular member of the Government, acknowledged that be would like to lead

the Likud and to become Prime Minister. Btit he thought this was unlikely with the political constellation in Israel. The Defence Minister also expressed a sharp difference of opinion with Mr Begin when he said he favoured autonomy for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip before implementing self-rule in the West Bank.

Egypt’s President (Mr Anwar Sadat) suggested this several months ago as a way of speeding up the deadlocked autonomy talks but Mr Begin opposed the idea in the Israeli Cabinet. Likud sources said that Mr Weizman’s declaration came as a complete shock to the party. Officials were especially concerned that the man considered No. 2 in the party and the Government after Mr Begin, made clear he would consider forming a new party or even joining the Opposition under certain circumstances. “The results of the election are not the most important thing. The most important thing is the good of

the people,’” Mr Weizman said.

Mr Begin’s coalition has the support of 65 members of the 120-member Knesset (Parliament), but public opinion polls have forecast a heavy, defeat for the Prime Minister if the General Election were held now.

One recent poll, published in the English language “Jerusalem Post,” gave the Opposition Labour Party 65 seats to the Likud’s 22. A Likud Knesset member, Haim Corfu, said on radio that Mr ’ Weizman should leave the Government. “Weizman’s initiative has only one meaning. Not a new government, as he suggests, but a new line-up in the present Government,” he said. Mr Begin is due to return home on Friday from Washington talks with President Carter.

Mr Weizman’s declaration was welcomed by a National Religious Party Knesset member, David Glass. He said he would propose that the N.R.P. leave the coalition. The N.R.P. has 12 Knesset members and if it

were to leave the coalition, the Government would fall. A senior official of another coalition party, the Democratic Movement, which holds six Knesset seats, also welcomed Mr Weizman’s initiative. The party’s chairman (Mr Yisrael Granit) said the Minister had in effect expressed no-confidence in the Government of which he was a member. “It will be difficult to convince anyone to support a government which is not supported by its own Defence Minister —this will have a decisive effect on the continuation of the Democratic Movement in the coalition,” he said. The Opposition leader, Shimon Peres, called Mr Weizman’s declaration “bold and patriotic.” He told Israel Radio that the Minister had put his country above his party. Labour Party sources said they would begin negotiations and. contacts aimed at introducing a no-confidence resolution in the Knesset when it reconvenes for the summer session.