Olmert responds to Knesset in 60 seconds
(Video) Forty MKs sign petition to hold special session on government's conduct, wait to hear PM's remarks. But Olmert calls discussion 'pointless and amorphous,' lets opposition leader take the stage. Likud: This is what happens when there are no answers to the security collapse
"The opposition's duty anywhere in the world is to constitute an alternative. I understand that very well. However, I have been young and now am old, and have never seen such an amorphous, pointless session like this one, which is only aimed at damaging the Knesset and its status," Olmert said before stepping off the podium and letting opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu take the stage.
At the end of the session, which was held just before the Knesset went on its Passover break, 56 MKs voted in favor of the prime minister's short declaration, while 40 voted against it. Two MKs abstained.
MK Gilad Erdan (Likud) slammed Olmert's 60-second speech, saying that "when the prime minister has no answer to the security and diplomatic collapse, he once again treats the Knesset and the public with contempt and fails to even dedicate more than 60 seconds to his speech at the Knesset."
MK Sa'ar: Government's goal is to survive
The prime minister was forced to speak before the Knesset after 40 MKs demanded a special session under the banner, "A government without a strategy, serving for survival purposes only."
Coalition and opposition members took advantage of the special session in order to speak out against Olmert.
Likud faction chairman, MK Gideon Sa'ar, slammed the prime minister for operating without public backing.
"You sill have a majority in the Knesset, while we have a large majority in the public which has had enough of this government. At the end of all the deals, tricks and investigations there is a ballot-box where the citizens of the State of Israel can make a change.
"I am trying to see what this government is doing. It's only goal appears to be survival. The goal of the existence is existence, not doing anything significant," he added.
Netanyahu attacked the government as well: "The people leading the State today have made one mistake after another in their policy. They don’t settle for the mistakes of the past, but continue to run forward in order to repeat the same mistake once again, this time over the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and in Jerusalem."
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman, MK Avigdor Lieberman, who was part of the Olmert government not very long ago, blasted the negotiations with the Palestinians.
"Since the State was established there has not been a more anarchical diplomatic agreement than the Oslo Accords, and since the Oslo Accords there has not been a more anarchical diplomatic move than the disengagement, and anyone looking at reality today can see the results.
"I say that should there be a diplomatic move and we reach a framework agreement with the Palestinians by the end of the year, it would be more irresponsible than the disengagement," he said.
MK Ophir Pines-Paz (Labor) slammed the political conduct in Israel: "I am worried about the leadership crisis in Israeli politics. I am fearful of what will happen in the next elections. Each person should ask himself what he did to contribute to this credibility crisis."
MK Zahav Gal-On (Meretz) attacked Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann's reforms, telling Olmert that "your government is conspiring against democracy by advancing anti-constitutional reforms and revolutions in order to damage the last stronghold left to defend democracy."
