ISRAEL: PRESIDENT SHAZAR ASKS PRIME MINISTER GOLDA MEIR TO FORM NEW GOVERNMENT

Record ID: 399526

  • Title: ISRAEL: PRESIDENT SHAZAR ASKS PRIME MINISTER GOLDA MEIR TO FORM NEW GOVERNMENT
  • Date: 12th March 1969
  • Summary: MRS MEIR WITH PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARY; MRS MEIR AND PRESIDENT SHAZAR; PRESIDENT READING DOCUMENTS; PRESIDENTIAL EMBLEM; MRS MEIR AND PRESIDENT DRINK TOAST. Initials LD/VS/PN/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th March 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
  • Country: Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVA3A7D9D50OQTXF0FDV53943A7V
  • Story Text: MRS GOLDA MEIR, ISRAEL'S FIRST WOMAN PRIME MINISTER, WAS FORMALLY CHARGED BY PRESIDENT ZALMAN SHAZAR TO FORM A NEW ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE YESTERDAY (10 MARCH) AFTER PRESIDENT SHAZAR HAD HELD TWO DAYS OF CONSULTATIONS WITH POLITICAL LEADERS FOR THE FILLING OF THE POST LEFT VACANT BY THE DEATH LAST WEEK OF LEVI ESHKOL.

    MRS MEIR, WHO WAS BORN IN KIEV, RUSSIA, LIVED MANY YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE SHE TAUGHT SCHOOL IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. NOW 70 YEARS-OLD, SHE HAS FOR DECADES BEEN A CENTRAL FIGURE IN ISRAELI POLITICS AND SERVED A FOREIGN MINISTER IN THE GOVERNMENTS OF DAVID BEN-GURION AND THE LATE LEVI ESHKOL.

    THE NEW PRIME MINISTER HAS 21 DAYS IN WHICH TO COMPLETE HER GOVERNMENT, BUT OBSERVERS FEEL SHE WILL MAKE HER ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND THAT SHE WILL AIM AT A BROADLY-BASED COALITION GOVERNMENT EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE HEADED BY MR. ESHKOL AND IS NOT LIKELY TO ATTEMPT ANY CHANGES IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF PORTFOLIOS, INCLUDING THAT OF DEFENCE MINISTER WHICH BELONGS TO GENERAL DAYAN.

    ON SECURITY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS - AT A TIME WHEN THE MIDDLE EAST TENSION CONTINUES TO SOAR - SHE IS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW A FIRM "HAWKISH" POLICY.

    MRS GOLDA MEIR IS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL LEADERS OF THE RULING LABOUR PARTY, AND ACCORDING TO INFORMED SOURCES, SHE IS CERTAIN TO COUNT ON THE IMMEDIATE SUPPORT OF AT LEAST 106 OF THE 120 MEMBERS OF THE ISRAELI KNESSET (PARLIAMENT).

    PRESIDENT SHAZAR, IN MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT SAID: "I AM PLEASED I CAN CARRY OUT THE PROPOSAL MADE BY THE LARGEST PARTY ACCEPTABLE TO ALL OTHER PARTIES".
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register