Yaari Resigns As Mapam Head

Meir Yaari, 74-year-old general secretary of Mapam, stunned his colleagues in the leftist party last night by announcing his resignation from the post he has held since Mapam’s founding in 1949. His colleagues tried to persuade him to stand for another term, but he refused. Yaari said that at his age he was unable to bridge the widening gap between the generations.

He was also bitter over the personal attacks against him by the younger members of Mapam and of its kibbutz movement, Hakibbutz Haartzi Hashomer Hatzair. The attacks were published in various Mapam publications. Yaari resented their reference to his service as “the historic leadership.”

It was learned that Mapam’s No. 2 man, Yaacov A, Hazan, who with Yaari headed the kibbutz movement of Hashomer Hatzair, may also step down, allowing for a “rotation of leadership” that would bring newcomers to the fore. The Russian-born Hazan, who is 72, has been a Mapam MK since 1949, as has Yaari.