Sharon: Bibi ran away
PM slams Netanyahu for quitting as Israel prepares for toughest move in nation's history
During the interview, Sharon said Netanyahu's resignation stemmed from personal motives.
"I don't know why he quit. He backed the disengagement plan once or twice," Sharon said cynically. "One thing I can say: In my view, quitting a week before the most complex, most difficult move in the State of Israel's history, the disengagement plan…I would certainly not be honoring this escape."
Netanyahu announced he was quitting during Sunday's government session, explaining that his move stemmed from his unwillingness to be a party to the disengagement plan, which he said would create an Islamic terror base in Gaza.
Earlier Netanyahu arrived at the Knesset to explain his motives for dropping the political bomb.
He said that during his tenure as Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. 20 years ago he received word that the Israeli government was considering a prisoners exchange deal with Ahmed Jibril (founder and leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, or PFLP-GC) that would involve the release of 1,000 terrorists.
“I wrote a letter then-Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir stating that such a deal may evoke another wave of murders and bloodshed of a much wider scale, and that is exactly what happened,” he said.
“It’s very simple, I was willing to get fired then, and I had to resign today.”
'Don't give them rifles'
Netanyahu added that he believes Israel’s security situation has deteriorated since his resignation.
“During the 72 hours since my resignation the Palestinians have said the occupation cannot be over if Israel would still maintain control over the airspace. They want to control it,” he said.
Moreover, Netanyahu staunchly criticized the government’s intent to permit the construction of a Palestinian port in Gaza.
“A port can be deadly. Several dozen years ago (U.S. President John F.) Kennedy almost went to a nuclear war over the Cuban port, and we are handing the Palestinians one,” he said.
“There is not even a sea that separates us. They will smuggle in missiles that would reach not only Ashkelon, but Ashdod and Tel Aviv as well. This is not just a local enemy - it is a global one. El-Qaeda has already announced it would establish a branch here (PA), but it may take a while. Eventually they will come, and they will threaten Egypt and Jordan as well.”
Netanyahu went on to make a final plea to the Knesset members, saying, “Don’t give them rifles, don’t give them missiles, don’t give them a port and don’t give them a huge base for terror.”
