Mofaz: PM using defense officials as pawns
Defense Minister launches bitter attack on his former political patron, accusing Sharon of manipulating defense officials in cabinet meetings, turning them into political pawns
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has launched a bitter attack on his former political patron, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, accusing him of manipulating defense officials in cabinet meetings and turning them into political pawns.
In talks with his aides, Mofaz said Sharon is deliberately working to prevent his election to Likud leadership, adding that the prime minister was guilty of unprecedented exploitation of the defense community to serve his personal political interests.
Kadima party members, however, are not overly moved by the new front opened against them, and say that a “political drama” will unfold on Wednesday, when a new “star” will announce that he will serve the prime minister’s party.
“In the last security cabinet meeting, an unprecedented and severe act took place, which I would classify as a cheap political stunt,” said Mofaz. “I don’t remember a time when a prime minister manipulated defense officials, turning them into political pawns (as Sharon is doing now),” he charged.
Mofaz referred to the press leak by the prime minister, in which it became known that Sharon blasted the defense minister for requesting NIS 1.5 billion (about USD 320 million) to seal off the south-west border to terrorist penetrations and weapons smugglers.
“Government funds are limited,” Mofaz was told at the time.
'Sharon’s people began coming after him openly'
“During the meeting senior defense officials came to present a plan to protect the whole of Israel’s western border – a border which sees dangerous smuggling of weapons, terrorist intrusions, and hundreds of tons of hard drugs. The prime minister and his people knew beforehand of the plan,” a furious Mofaz said.
“Despite that, they chose to turn such an important meeting into a political tool. Even while the meeting was taking place, they began to give out distorted and false leaks to the press, making it seem as if the defense community was asking money for itself at the expense of social issues. This isn’t true, and it was totally disconnected from the meeting that took place.”
The defense minister was once a loyal follower of Ariel Sharon. He stood by the prime minister’s side during the disengagement plan. According to the prime minister’s plans, Mofaz was supposed to follow Sharon to the Kadima party, and to act as defense minister in the future government. But Mofaz had different plans, and he ended up running for the Likud leadership.
Mofaz’s aides have their own explanation for Sharon’s aides “systematic battle against the election of Mofaz to Likud leadership.”
“Sharon and his aides realized that out of all the candidates, the only one who could bring the Likud many mandates, and ensure it remains an independent and relevant party, is Mofaz, and they are therefore trying to block his election as Likud leader. Until now, their campaign was secret, but when they recognized Mofaz’s increasing influence, Sharon’s people began coming after him openly,” said an aide to the defense minister.
