The political arena bustles with responses to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's speech
to journalists on Thursday, in which the PM has addressed political, diplomatic and security issues.
Backers of Labor Chairman Amir Peretz charged the Israel Broadcasting Authority for giving Sharon what they believed was excessive radio airtime.
Sharon has used the Israel Broadcasting Authority for his campaign purposes, and was granted an hour-and-a-half long promotional commercial, associates of Peretz said in response to the PM's address.
Peretz's supporters were furious over the fact that Sharon's political opponents were not granted a chance to respond to the speech.
"We will demand that the Broadcasting Authority allow Peretz equal airtime on the radio," a source close to the Labor leader said.
Political attacks
Responding to Sharon's words that Israel will not concede the Golan Heights and the Jordan Valley region, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz claimed that these statements do not keep in line with the fact the PM has enlisted left-wing politicians to his new party.
"Kadima chose to cooperate with typical leftists, while Likud is a nationalist party that is obligated to safeguarding Judea, Samaria the Jordan valley, the Golan Heights and an undivided Jerusalem," he said.
Meanwhile Sharon was also blasted by members on the other side of the political spectrum. Knesset Member Yitzhak Herzog (Labor) said
that Sharon's speech proved that his political and social agenda are no different than those of the Likud.
"We didn't hear any serious references in Sharon's words to the terrible social crisis, the poverty and the hunger hundreds of thousands of citizens in Israel suffer from. Sharon proved he remains true to Netanyahu's insensitive economic policy," he charged.
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