Parties try again after stormy Knesset opening

Press, 15 August 1984, Page 10

Parties try again after stormy Knesset opening

NZPA-Reuter Tel Aviv Israel’s two main political parties are expected to resume their arduous efforts to form a unity Government today after a 24-hour break to inaugurate the new Knesset (Parliament).

Spokesmen for both the Likud bloc and opposition Labour Party said yesterday that two sub-commit-tees were expected to meet to work out a common platform that would enable the two parties to form a unity coalition. President Chaim Herzog authorised Labour’s chief, Shimon Peres, whose party won 44 parliamentary seats to Likud’s 41 in last month’s General Election, to try to set up a unity coalition but prior negotiations have made little headway. The ceremonial Knesset openingnvas marred by dis-

turbances touched off by an anti-Arab extremist, Rabbi Meir Kahane, who was elected to Parliament last month. | Mr Kahane, who favours

the expulsion of Arabs from Israel and from the Israelioccupied Arab territories, tried to amend the members’ oath by adding a quotation from the Book of Psalms. The addition appeared to suggest that Mr Kahane was answerable only to God for his actions and not to manmade laws. After persistent warnings by the presiding chairman and by numerous catcalls of “racist” and “Fascist” by other Parliamentarians, Mr Kahane mumbled his agreement. A further disturbance erupted when Mr Kahane shouted at an Arab Parliamentarian to “shut up P.L.0.-nik” (Palestine Liberation Organisation supporter). He and other Parliamentarians then exchanged insults.