_a.jpg "צילום: ירון ברנר")
Netanyahu. IDF leaves - Hamas enters
Photo: Yaron Brener
Netanyahu: Israel suffers from lack of leadership
In Likud event ahead of Passover, opposition leader paints gloomy picture of Israeli reality: 'Security is flawed, the government's policy is detached from reality, the economy is in a state of retreat and education is collapsing'
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu
on Sunday harshly criticized the Olmert government's policy in all fields.
According to Netanyahu, the Olmert government is rushing into handing territories over to a non-existent Palestinian partner.
Speaking at a Likud event in Tel Aviv held ahead of Passover, the party chairman said that "security is flawed, the policy is detached from reality, the economy is in a state of retreat, and education is collapsing."
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"The Likud faction is the best faction in the Knesset," the opposition leader told his party members. "I promise you that it will be the biggest faction in the Knesset in the next elections.
"On the eve of the feast of freedom, we first of all hope for the return of our captives – Shalit, Regev and Goldwasser. On the eve of Passover, we tell Israel's citizens that the State of Israel can succeed," he said.
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Netanyahu between MKs Rivlin (L) and Sa'ar (Photo: Yaron Brener)
According to Netanyahu, Israel should and could restore its security and resume the economic growth, while raising the education level.
"We will reduce taxes and resume growth. In the social field, we will help those who are really weak. Today I am still against helping imposters, those who can work but want to live at your expense."
'Government engaged in political survival'
Netanyahu went on to say that the current situation in Israel was "the result of the leadership's weakness, or to be precise, the lack of leadership and the lack of way.
"We have a government which escapes responsibility, and sometimes it seems that it is only cynically engaged in political survival. I believe that the State can be led differently, in a successful way. But this way compels us to look straight into reality and tell the people the truth."
The Likud chairman once again called on Shas ministers to leave the government. "For how long will you stay in this government? Until we return to the '67 lines? Until the flag of Palestine is waved on the Temple Mount? I ask you to get out of this government, get out of there."
Addressing political mistakes made over the past few years, the opposition chairman said, "(Defense Minister and former Prime Minister Ehud) Barak withdrew from Lebanon, strengthening Hizbullah. (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert made a mistake with the disengagement, strengthening Hamas.
"These two mistakes by Barak and Olmert have set up two radical Islam bases controlled by Iran. Some 8,000 missiles and rockets have been showered on the top of Israelis' heads from these two bases. In the north and in the south, our enemies are arming themselves with lethal Iranian weapons."
'Israel buying peace in Abbas' supermarket'
Netahyahu noted that "the Likud is a party of peace. It has made peace and will make peace, but the greatest mistake in diplomacy is giving in to dreams and being detached from reality.
"Our political rivals choose to picture a non-existent reality, invent a non-existent partner. The Palestinians who might want peace can't bring it, and those who could bring it don’t want it. So I ask Olmert and Barak: Who will be given the homeland territories which you are so glad to give away in such remarkable generosity? Do you have a real partner for peace on the other side?
"I read this week a commentator's column claiming that in closed forums Olmert says that Abu Mazen (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) can't even make a decision about adding a floor to his house. If this is what you believe, Mr. Olmert, how can let Abu Mazen build a state when he cannot even build a room?
"We all know the truth – the IDF leaves, Hamas enters. This is exactly what will happen if Olmert continues to blindly advance the withdrawal agreement, which is today called 'the shelf agreement.' They found themselves a term, as if peace can be bought in Abu Mazen's supermarket.
"In this supermarket Israel pays everything in advance without receiving anything in return. This is amateurism endangering the entire country, including the Tel Aviv Metropolitan area and Jerusalem," Netanyahu concluded.
