Shamir Has No Plans to Resign as Likud Party Chief, Aide Says

Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir has no plans to step down as leader of the right-wing Likud Party, despite his government’s defeat in a parliamentary no-confidence vote, a Shamir aide said today.

Shamir met with Likud’s government ministers today. Housing Minister David Levy and Economics Minister Yitzhak Modai, who have been trying to engineer Shamir’s ouster for months, did not attend the session.

Labor leader Shimon Peres, Shamir’s rival, said he hopes to form a new government with the backing of 70 members of the 120-seat Knesset, or Parliament.

Under Israeli law, President Chaim Herzog decides who should form the next government. He scheduled meetings Sunday with Labor and Likud leaders, but Israeli newspapers reported that the 66-year-old Peres is the likely choice.

Some Likud Parliament members suggested today that Shamir will have to step down as party leader since several leaders of religious parties have accused him of breaking promises to support religious legislation.

But asked if Shamir was thinking of resigning, Yossi Achimeir, director of the prime minister’s office, replied: “I didn’t even hear a hint coming out of his mouth. He will continue to lead as long as the party wants it.”

Shamir, 74, whose government was Israel’s first to be turned out in a no-confidence vote, remains caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed. That could take months.

Achimeir conceded that Likud’s chances for leading a new government are “not bright” after five of the six Knesset members from the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party abstained in Thursday’s vote, giving Labor its victory.