THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, May 9, 1980 61 Fall of Begin Government Predicted by Members of His Cabinet By MOSHE RON The Jewish News Special Israel Correspondent TEL AVIV — Members of Begin's Cabinet are sure that the government will fall and that there will be early elections. They expect the fall in May. Important Cabinet mem- bers like Vice Premier Simha Erlich and Defense Minister Ezer Weizman and others are of this opinion. The tense situation in the Cabinet was created after the government's decision tr, re-settle the former Jewish quarter in Hebron with a yeshiva and army school. Public opinion all over the world and in Israel de- plored the decision when the negotiations between Israel and Egypt on the au- tonomy settlement reached a crucial stage. Vice Pre- mier Erlich declared that this decision annoyed the U.S. government and Jews all over the world alike and completely isolated Israel in the international arena. It was foolish and un- necessary decision that handicapped the chances for co-existence with the Israeli Arabs and the Arabs in the territories. Vice Premier Yigael Yadin declared after this decision that there is a limit to what he can digest as a member of the government. Defense Minister Weizman said that such a step could be the end of the govern- ment. In Herut circles, Weiz- man's threats to resign are being ridiculed. They say that these threats started a Guide Explores Lower East Side Out of New York's East Side have emerged many of the very prominent Ameri- can personalities. In that area, which has attracted worldwide attention, have developed social and politi- cal theories which later be- came American and human realities. The sons and daughters of that famous district provided cultural gifts for America and hu- manity. They served as -guidelines for Jewish liber- tarian idealism. In "The Lower East Side: A Guide to Its Jewish Past" (Dover Publications), Ronald Sanders and Ed- mund V. Gillon Jr., tell the fascinating story of the cen- ter out of which had grown the great social themes. The historical, commer- cial, political and social as- pects of this colorful, turbu- lent life and culture is traced in the book's lucid, authoritative commentary by Sanders, author of "The Downtown Jews," and in Gillon's documentary photographs of the bastions of New York Jewish history: The Forward Building; the Yiddish theaters centered on Second Avenue (the "Jewish Rialto"), such as the Orpheum and the An- derson; institutions such as the Henry Street Settle- ment and the Educational Alliance; the Shaarei Shomoyim and Beth Hamidrash Hagodol Synagogues; Katz's Delica- tessen and the Garden Cafeteria. There are views of the heart of the Lower East Side — Hester, Essex and Or- chard Streets — and those representative of its multi- faceted character: McSorley's Ale House, La Mama Experimental Theatre, Seward Park High School. Sanders' text establishes the role of each in the life of America's most famous ghetto. America's and Jewry's most noted personalities had their roles here. Among those who grew up in this area of distinc- tion were Jan Peerce, who is io this day among the leaders in the world of music; Samuel Gom- pers, who fathered the ideas incorporated in the movement he created, the American Federation of Labor; Zero Mostel, Irv- ing Berlin, Paul Muni, Eddie Cantor, George Burns, Jacob Epstein and the scores who created labor and Jewish movements. Although today the Lower East Side houses a mixed ethnic population, it will probably always stand as the core of the rich and strong Jewish life and cul- ture which is so vital a part of the American makeup. year ago. He repeats them whenever the Cabinet adopts a decision against his vote, or whenever he thinks that Begin does not appreciate his political ac- tivity and his success by leading the campaign of Likud during the last Knes- set elections. Weizman sometimes criticizes the government as not being successful, that Begin does not govern and function and that the gov- ernment as a whole is losing more and more poplularity. Weizman threatens that he will resign after he finishes building his new home in Caesarea in order to com- pile his memoirs. Such declarations create the impression that for the first time since the establishment of the state there is a gov- ernment which does not function, suffers frm con- stant quarrels among its members and is criticized in the international arena even by friends of Israel. Israeli industrialist Yekutiel Federman estab- lished a committee which began to distribute a public petition for early elections. Many thousands have al- ready signed, demanding Begin to go to the president of the state and resign. The "Peace Now" move- ment has increased its ac- tivity, holding public demonstrations along the main roads of the country — with placards and slogans demanding Begin's resigna-, tion. This movement con- sists mainly of leftist cir- cles, Labor, Mapam, young kibutzniks and a, group of moderate university profes- sors, but it expresses with the government among the population. The question is where are the masses who supported Likud during the last elec- tions? Even the Herut movement does not try to call its members to demon- strate in favor of the gov- ernment. The Likud is in- capable of organizing counter-demonstrations. The entire Israeli press AJCommittee Mum on Debate SCENE ON HESTER STREET WASHINGTON (JTA) — The American Jewish Committee's Washington chapter which met last week in extraordinary ses- sion to discuss Israel's pol- icy of Jewish settlements in the West Bank has declined to comment on its proceed- ings. The meeting was open only to members. Brant Coopersmith, the chapter's director, said that the advance notice of the chapter officers' criticism of the policy was an "internal matter" and "what we dis- cussed is still an internal matter." He added that "whatever happened will be made known to appropriate organizations" of the na- tional Committee at the plenary session May 15 in New York. is full of criticism against the government. There is no editor who dares to write a good word about it.•The Likud, comprising several parties and 50 Knesset members, has no newspaper of its own to come to the aid of the at- tacked government. Many • ask thmselves: What induced Menahem Begin to push through a de- cision for resettling the former Jewish quarter in Hebron? Some journalists maintain that it was to counteract President Sadat's declaration that he sees May 26 as the final date for completing the au- tonomy settlement, other- wise a new situation would arise. Political - observers be- lieve tht Begin might com- promise about Hebron dur- ing his talks with Carter. During recent months Begin adopted a more harsh attitude in the peace negotiations. He appointed Interior Minister Burg of Mafdal as chairman of the autonomy talks team in- stead of former Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan. He appointed Yitzhak Shamir as foreign minister. Should Weizman resign his post as defense minister, the radi- cal chairman of the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee Moshe Arens (who at the time voted against the peace agree- ment with Egypt) is slated for this post. Weizman feels he has no communication with Pre- mier Begin. Begin does not consult him on important matters. He has better rela- tions with the radical Minister of Agriculture Ariel (Arik) Sharon. In the Mafdal there are many who do not believe that the fall of the Begin government and new early elections could be avoided. Some Mafdal leaders lately held talks with the chairman of the Labor Party Shimon Peres about the possibil- ity of early elections. They are of the opinion that in case the goVern- m en t would fall, the majority of the Liberal party would leave the Likud and that there would be a new central list headed by the popu- lar Weizman. There is now a concrete possibility that the next Is- raeli government will be a coalition between the Labor Alignment and a moderate central block headed by Weizman and Erlich, which would be joined by Mafdal. * * Weizman to Quit Upon Re-Election of Premier Begin TEL AVIV (ZINS) — De- fense Minister Ezer Weiz- man said that he is prepared to serve in the same capacity if the Labor Party is returned to power in Is- rael in the case of the fall of the Begin government. He said if Begin were re- turned to the premiership, he would withdraw from politics and wait to be in- vited to take over Israel's top political post. Meanwhile, specula- tion in Israel is that should Begin resign or be voted out of his post, he will be replaced by Yit- zhak Shamir, current foreign minister. Sources said that Shamir possesses, in Begin's mind, the necessary requisites for taking over the premier- ship. In his youth, Shamir was a member of Betar in Poland, he was a member of the Etzel and Lehi and after the establishment of the state, Shamir joined Herut and with that demonstrated his loyalty to Begin. Tree Plantings for Soviet Jews PHILADELPHIA (JTA) — The Soviet Jewry Council of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), have announced a tree planting program in Israel for Soviet Jewish refusnik families and Prisoners of Jews Facing New Challenges Conscience. The trees will be planted LOS ANGELES (JTA) — in Abu Tor, the Peace Forest "The big news in Jewish life in Jerusalem. today is that the Jewish people is entering a major Arms Spending new era with unprece- LONDON (ZINS) — Is- dented opportunities and rael spent $1,140 per per- challenges," according to son for armaments last Dr. Irving Greenberg, direc- year, according to the Lon- tor of the National Jewish don Institute for Strategic Resource Center in New Affairs. The U.S. and Soviet York, in a speech at the Union were tied for second opening plenary session of place at $560 per person. the 1980 biennial confer- Egypt spent $54 per person, ence of the National Jewish lowest in the world. Welfare Board here last Israel's expenditures on Thursday. defense amounted to one- Greenberg, a member of third of her gross national the President's Commission product. on the Holocaust and its former director, declared New Editor that the new age in Jewish NEW YORK — Marc life "is shaped by the impact Jaffe, president of Bantam of the Holocaust and the re- Books, was named execu- birth of Israel. It is marked tive vice president and by the challenge of sover- editor-in-chief of Ballantine eignty and the exercise of Books and an executive vice power on the one hand and president of Random House, an open, more .secular Inc., of which Ballantine is a society on the other." subsidiary. V .