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Initials


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Background: The Herut block of the Likud Knesset faction met this afternoon, prior to the session of the plenum, in order to discuss Def.Min. Weizman's remarks, after the cabinet session on Sunday 18th, which discussed Israel's answers to the US questions on Judea, Samaria and the Gaza strip and participation of West Bank Arabs in the determination of their future.- Def. Min. Weizman, who had proposed a positive reply to the questions left after the meeting in a huff and is supposed to have strongly attacked both FM Dayan and Premier Begin in remarks to newspaper people. Whilst this may indeed be true, as Weizman is known to be a rather impulsive man, it led to strong demands within Begin's Herut section of the Likud party, as well as in other sections of the Likud for Weizman to resign. But Begin has not pressed the issue and would like to retain Weizman, who has the strong backing of the Liberals in Likud (under Fin. Min. Ehrlich) and the NRP coalition partner under Int.Min. Dr. Burg, who even threatened to resign and leave the govt. coalition, should Weizman be ousted or forced to resign. The crucial faction session of Herut within Likud and the Likud Knesset faction took place today and most ministers have tried to patch things up, whilst Weizman himself has kept a low profile.