TEL AVIV; TRADE UNION BUILDING; ALMOGI ARRIVES; GOLDA MEIR ARRIVES; DAYAN ARRIVES; ALLON TOWARDS MEETING HALL; SAPIR.




Initials MJS/VS/BOB/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ISRAEL'S LABOUR PARTY MET ON FRIDAY (18 JULY) TO DISCUSS THE DISSENSIONS WHICH HAVE, THIS MONTH, THREATENED TO SPLIT THEM.

THE MEETING TOOK PLACE AT THE TEL AVIV TRADE UNION CENTRAL BUILDING. THE DISSENSION HAS ARISEN FROM DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN MOSHE DAYAN, THE DYNAMIC ISRAELI DEFENCE MINISTER, AND THE VETERAN LEADERSHIP OF THE LABOUR PARTY -- HEADED BY THE PARTY'S SECRETARY-GENERAL, PINHAS SAPIR. MRS GOLDA MEIR, THE NEW PRIME MINISTER, THOUGH NOT A FERVENT SUPPORTER OF GENERAL DAYAN, DOES NOT WANT A PARTY SPLIT.

DAYAN WANTS THE INTEGRATION OF THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES INTO ISRAEL'S ECONOMY WITHOUT CHANGING THEIR POLITICAL STATUS. HE ALSO ADVOCATES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SETTLEMENTS AT POINTS OFFERING ISRAEL SECURE BORDERS WHICH WOULD NEVER BE GIVEN UP. INSIDE THE PARTY HE INSISTS ON IMMEDIATE FREE ELECTIONS FOR A PARTY CONVENTION WHICH WOULD ELECT THE NEW LABOUR LEADERSHIP.

MR SAPIR IS WORRIED AT THE INDISCRIMINATE INCLUSION OF ARAB POPULATIONS WITHIN THE BORDERS OF ISRAEL. HE ALSO OPPOSES ANY ATTEMPTS TO BREAK THE POWERFUL PARTY 'APPARATUS', WHICH HE LARGELY CONTROLS.

THE GENERAL THINKS HE IS BEING FORCED OUT OF THE PARTY. SAPIR THINKS IT IS INEVITABLE THAT HE SHOULD LEAVE. THERE IS ALSO A LARGE GROUP, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE PARTY, CALLED THE RAFI, WHO ARE STRONGLY SUGGESTING THAT DAYAN SHOULD TRY FOR THE PREMIERSHIP AT THE HEAD OF NEW PARTY.

GENERAL DAYAN WILL GIVE HIS DECISION ON WHETHER TO STAND ALONE BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. IF HE DOES, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE RAFI COULD WIN THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTIONS ALONE. CERTAINLY THE LABOUR PARTY WOULD BE UNABLE TO GAIN THE ABSOLUTE MAJORITY IT HAS BEEN SEEKING, TO AVOID ONCE MORE RULING AS A COALITION.

ALL THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS IN THE DRAMA WERE PRESENT AT FRIDAY'S MEETING. THEY HEARD A PARTY SPOKESMAN READ OUT APPEALS FROM BRANCHED URGING 'MAXIMUM EFFORTS' TO AVOID A SPLIT. THEY ALSO HEARD DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YIGAL ALLON APPEAL TO DAYAN NOT TO PRESS FOR A DIVISION.