Livni calls for extensive probe against Barak
Following state comptroller's scathing report on Defense Ministry entourage's exaggerated expenses in Paris, reports on funds allegedly transferred to companies owned by Barak, Opposition leader demands investigation into his conduct. Labor chairman's aide in response: Livni should first take care of Kadima's suspects, convicts and prisoners before lecturing others
Livni also called for an investigation into the activity of the Labor chairman's financial companies, following reports that millions of shekels have been transferred to these firms after Barak was appointed defense minister.
"These things must be examined beyond state comptroller, on all aspects. I am a firm believer in incorruptibility and transparency, and I hope that here too there will be a norm of things that must not be done."
Asked whether there was room for a criminal investigation against Barak, Livni implied, "These things are clear. Therefore (Kadima Knesset Member) Yoel Hasson, chairman of the Knesset's State Control Committee, has announced that he will convene the committee, and I believe that's important."
An aide to Barak said in response to the attack on the defense minister, "Tzipi Livni should first of all take care of the suspects, convicts and prisoners of the Kadima party before lecturing others. Tzipi Livni has been running around luxury hotels and suites across the world for years, and held futile and hollow negotiations with the Palestinians – which led Israel nowhere."
The Likud party also rushed to defend Barak and attack Livni. "Ms. Livni's hypocrisy is breaking records in Israeli politics," said Knesset Member ofir Akunis. "Every citizen knows that the Kadima government left the Likud government a very bad situation in all areas of life. When Livni criticizes, she should remember that a lot of work is required to repair the failures."
The Kadima chairwoman was also asked by Ynet to address the reports that her party member, former Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik, spent tens of thousands of shekels on a trip to the French capital, and that MK Shlomo Molla held on to tens of thousands of shekels he was meant to transfer to needy Ethiopian immigrants.
"My stance on these matters has nothing to do with the person's identity or the party he comes from. There is right and wrong, and I treat each person equally," she said.
So should they also be probed? "They both spoke about existing documents, and about facts which are different from the reports. I am not using double standards here, although these things are on different levels. I am definitely all for criticism."
Cognitive dissonance in government
Following MK Daniel Ben Simon's resignation from his role as Labor faction chairman, Livni refers to Labor as "the who party". She strongly criticizes Barak and his conduct in the government, and urges Labor members to engage in self-examination.
"I believe that every party will be examined by the public through its decision," the Kadima chairwoman told Ynet. "I believe the public rewards and knows how to examine the parties without accepting things that were once obvious in politics.
"Labor joined the government in order to serve a public agenda, rather than a national goal or agenda. The self-examination must be a collective one by Labor members, and a personal one by each of its individuals who is still committed to the idea.
"When a party and its people do something which does not match their belied or what they marketed to the public," Livni said, "this is a case of cognitive dissonance. It creates a clash, particularly when this government has no plans to make the required decisions.
"The excuses they used in the beginning to enter the government are being shattered on the ground of the grim political reality because of the government's failure to act in this area. This government wants to go nowhere."
Livni added she has no feelings of malicious joy. "It's not even in this arena. I am in the political arena in order to achieve certain goals. Labor more or less established this government, through its conduct in each point in time when its people had to make a valued decision."
The Opposition leader refused to say whether her party was holding talks with Labor members to have them join Kadima. "This is a personal decision each Labor member has to make," she said. "Each person will have to decide on the road he wants to take in accordance with what he things. I give each person the space and respect, and I respect them enough to make a decision without interfering in this party's life."
'Government's conduct weakens Israel'
The Opposition chairwoman is expected to travel to Moscow next week for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The two officials are expected to discuss the United Nations report accusing Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza, the Iranian nuclear program, and the peace process.
Meanwhile, she accuses the Netanyahu government of seriously damaging the State of Israel's interests and of handling Israel's foreign policy badly.
Livni also criticized the prime minister's speech at the UN General Assembly. "There is no policy today. The government's conduct weakens Israel," she said. "It seems that if the prime minister uses terms of Judas Maccabaeus and talks about things we all identify as Jews, then everything's okay.
"This creates solidarity, but it doesn’t strengthen Israel. It may provide a good feeling, but Israel today is much weaker. We are in a very problematic situation," she concluded.
