Barak: All Kadima brought us was war, disengagement
Gloves come off as Labor chairman lashes out against rival parties, deriding those within peace camp who see centrist Kadima as replacement for 'true social democracy,' mocks Likud's Netanyahu as 'wannabe Santa Claus'
For the past several days the only Barack in the headlines was president-elect Obama, but Defense Minister Ehud Barak sought to rectify that on Thursday as the upcoming general elections begin to draw heat.
The Labor party chairman lashed out against the political rivals that have so far trounced him in the polls, Kadima's Tzipi Livni and the Likud's Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu.
"The way of the Likud and Bibi is the way of the extreme-right. Kadima's identity is vague and divided, injecting disorder into anything that has to do with realization," said Barak at the Labor party conference held at Tel Aviv University.
Barak warned the assembled party operatives that the wave of political figures who have recently joined the Likud hail from the "delusional right.
"They are dug into a position that is detached from reality, which will lead us to a dead end and bring us into conflict with the free world and the entire region. We will once again see our society crushed, as it was the last time Likud was in power," said Barak.
"Who will deal with the financial crisis? Bibi Netanyahu? Have we forgotten his reforms, what he did to the citizens of this country? With the poor Bibi masquerades as Santa Claus. Does Kadima have a solution? All they have done since the beginning of this crisis is stutter.
"Kadima won't. The Likud can't. The time has come for Labor," he proclaimed.
Kadima: Barak irrelevant in this race
Barak tried to set himself apart from fellow cabinet minister Livni who, along with Netanyahu, enjoys a significant lead in the polls over the Labor chairman.
"Some in our camp have grown infatuated with Kadima. Ask yourselves, what has Kadima brought us in its three years of existence? The disengagement from Gaza, the Second Lebanon War and a string of scandals. Each of you will judge for himself the outcome and consequences of these things. Is this truly a
left-wing party? Is this a display of responsibility and experience? Is this truly social democracy?
Barak's rhetoric drew an immediate response from his targets. Kadima adopted a dismissive tone, saying "the State of Israel stands before a serious election for the role of prime minister, and it is between Netanyahu and Livni. Barak is completely irrelevant to this race."
Likud MK Gilad Erdan focused on Barak's own truncated premiership. "The public has not forgotten and will not forgive Barak for his colossal failure in dealing with Palestinian terrorism during the intifada, and the fact that he evaded responsibility and chose instead to go earn millions."
