AFTER A DAY OF LYING IN STATE, THE BODY OF THE LATE PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL, LEVI ESHKOL, WAS TAKEN YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) FROM THE KNESSET (PARLIAMENT) SQUARE TO MOUNT HERZL FOR BURIAL, MR. ESHKOL, WHO WAS 73, DIED OF A HEART ATTACK ON WEDNESDAY. STRONG SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS WERE IN FORCE DURING THE PROCESSION AND FUNERAL - AS THE THOUSANDS OF MOURNERS INCLUDED ALL ISRAEL'S MAIN POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEADERS.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT DURING THE LYING-IN-STATE AT THE KNESSET, MORE THAN 300,000 PERSONS FILED PAST THE COFFIN TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE MAN WHO LED THEM THROUGH THE SIX DAYS' WAR OF JUNE 1967.

THE CORTEGE FROM THE PARLIAMENT SQUARE TO MT. HERZL ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF JERUSALEM, WAS FOLLOWED BY THOUSANDS OF MOURNERS - INCLUDING NOT ONLY ISRAEL'S PRESIDENT ZALMAN SHAZAR AND THE WHOLE ISRAELI CABINET, BUT SPECIAL ENVOYS FROM THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, BRITAIN, CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND WEST GERMANY.

PARA-TROOPERS LINED THE WHOLE ROUTE - KEEPING WATCH FROM ROOFTOPS AS WELL - FOR THERE WAS FEAR THAT ARAB GUERRILLAS MIGHT ATTEMPT AN ATTACK ON SUCH A CONCENTRATION OF ISRAELIS AND THEIR LEADERS.

ONCE THE WEEK-LONG PERIOD OF STATE MOURNING IS OVER, THE CABINET AND PRESIDENT WILL HAVE TO START THE MOVES TO CHOOSE A SUCCESSOR TO THE LATE PRIME MINISTER. THE THREE MOST PROBABLE CANDIDATES ARE THE ACTING PRIME MINISTER YIGAL ALLOM (WHO WAS APPOINTED TO HEAD A CARETAKER GOVERNMENT HOURS AFTER THE DEATH OF MR. ESHKOL); DEFENCE MINISTER MOYSHE DAYAN; AND THE 70-YEAR-OLD FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER MRS GOLDA MEIR. OBSERVERS FEEL THAT MRS MEIR MIGHT BE THE MOST LIKELY CHOICE FOR, THOUGH SHE RETIRED FROM ACTIVE GOVERNMENT IN 1966, SHE IS STILL ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL LEADERS IN THE RULING LABOUR PARTY.