Begin: Kadima and the Left pushed Israel into corner
After winning fifth place in Likud primaries, Benny Begin lashes out against coalition and says he is confident public 'will know to tell the difference between those who entangled Israel in Lebanon and Gaza and those who warned against it'
"For months we were force-fed the assumption that there is nothing more important to the citizens of Israel during this time than integrity, honesty and candor. Kadima can't compete on these issues with the Likud's list – and so immediately informs us that from now on the important thing is policy," former MK Benny Begin said on Tuesday in response to Kadima's accusations that the Likud roster is too right-wing.
"Now Kadima will latch on to the claim that Likud's policies are extreme right-wing. Now they will drop the matter of Livni's integrity and they'll decide that the import thing is policies. In this debate, they are at a disadvantage," said Begin, who was elected to the fifth slot on the Likud's roster for the upcoming Knesset elections.
Begin said there is no longer room for distinguishing between the parties on the left or the right, and there is no longer a need to label Likud in such a way. "Any sensible person can see that the leftist government led by Kadima and Labor let Israel into corners that are hard to get out of on both the northern front and the southern one.
"A sensible person no longer differentiates between left and right, but between those who have deluded the public in their disconnect from the Middle Eastern reality, and between those who warned in advance of the adventures of the Kadima-Labor government, and whose warnings indeed came true," said Begin.
Begin said the labels were ultimately unhelpful to public discourse. "Many are now sobering from the delusions Kadima cultivated, and these people will find their way to the Likud." Begin said he would willingly accept any position offered to him by Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanayhu should the latter be elected prime minister.
