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Election trends after Rabin scandal HAIFA — With the unex pected and precipitous withdrawal of Prime Minister Rabin, the Israel election cam paign is heating up. It is marked by massive and imaginative advertising in the press, largely an assault by the parties upon each other. Labor ridicules Menahem Begin and his Likud as one who has failed eight times in his efforts to take over the government, but is trying a ninth time. The religious bloc pictures Labor as a deflated tire. Yadin’s Democratic Party is held up to scorn, and in turn calls for a change. The leftist parties make it sound as if only they are for peace, and the new Women’s Party campaigns for pension rights and paid holidays for housewives. Thus far, there are 24 parties in the race. The traditionally dominant labor trend is struggling against odds to maintain its supremacy. Pressure groups are aware of this and have chosen this time to extract from the hard-pressed government the maximum by way of economic concessions. Possibly the worst wave of strikes ever to hit Israel has in recent months and weeks swept the country. In almost every case the Government has yielded to demands of the strikers, thus assuring their political support, but at the same time triggering off new strikes from others who want their share of the gravy. All this may have given Labor a short-term political gain by winning blocs of some thousands of votes, but the party image has suffered badly. The non-striking public regards this as confirma tion of Rabin’s weakness under pressure. The scandals that have rocked the party have also tar nished its reputation badly, and it may be expected that every ef fort will be made to rake up fresh revelations in the weeks ahead. Mrs. Rabin’s Washington bank account was but one item on the list. Nevertheless, the shrewdest politicians in the country are in the Labor party. They have held the machine together for 29 years. Will they succeed again this year? Two major elements are in their favor — one positive, the other negative. Israel is today experiencing a wave of prosperity. The serious economists call it runaway infla tion and are much concerned, but for the time being the man in the street has money in his pocket. There is no unemploy ment. The stores are crowded. People are buying and spending. When the electorate get to the ballot box they hesitate long before voting against the party in power that brought this about. One doesn’t change a satisfactory status quo. The negative element which may affect the results is the possibility of war. Threat of hostilities this summer makes even dissatisfied voters pause and think. If we are indeed on the verge of war, would the country be better off in the hands of the Likud, which has a reputation for recklessness and extremism? In the hands of the upright gentlemen of the Democratic Party who, as a group, have had no experience in leadership? Or in the hands of the familiar Labor personalities. There is a reluctance to change horses in the middle of a stormy stream. The first serious straw votes indeed show Labor maintaining its lead, but much reduced from previous elections. Likud is likewise losing strength, but still in second place. As had been ex pected, Yadin and his Democrats appear strongly in third place. There is still a large floating, un decided vote, and the outcome of the May 17 elections will be in fluenced by the decisions of these voters. t It is clear that no one party will “win” the election. The possibilities as they appear at this moment: A coalition in which labor and the Democrats will dominate; alternatively a coalition headed by Likud and the Democrats. In either event the Yadin-Democratic party will be the determining factor in the composition of the new Govern ment. The more strength this party can muster, the greater will be its benevolent influence in the Government. SPRING SPECIAL Specially priced portraits of the younger set in an exclusive presentatum— *39 B. GITTINGS A TRADITION IN FINE PHOTOGRAPHIC POR I RAItURF PHIPPS PLAZA. ATLANTA 404/261-5550 CHRYSLER Just 12 Mlnutas From 1-285 And 1-20 East CONYERS Chrysler-Plymouth & Dodge Trucks, Inc Dodge Trucks Vkjmoutli SAM GAINER SAYS: H*d'O p Wse HELLO, SMART SPENDER Stock No. C-6-2 $3336 ?3 DODGE VANS FROM S4I92 Base Price Volare Wagon FROM $4198 65 Cffck SERVICE WE GIVE YOU BOTH 75 CHRYSLER NEW YORKER CLEAN *4188 75 PINTO RUNABOUT ECONOMY SPECIAL ’2188 mopor Dependable 75 CORDOBA. . *4388 LOADED USED CARS 73 BUICK REGAL SHARP. . . SHARP *2388 1141 KLONDIKE RD. just up from McDonald s CONYERS 922-6800 SALES 8 TO 8 MON. THRU SAT. SERVICE & PARTS 7:30 TO 5:30 MON. THRU SAT. MONDAY EVENINGS UNTIL 8 P.M. LEADING ?*«• IS THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April 15, 1*77