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Photo: Gil Yohanan
Economy Minister Naftali Bennett
Photo: Gil Yohanan

Bennett slams government for 'hiding behind barriers', calls Abbas 'a terrorist'

As tensions in Jerusalem rise, violence spreads, Bennett slams government of which he is part for failing to act: Government that hides and apologizes while citizens are killed has no right to exist.

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett urged the government for failing to take a stronger response to recent violence in Jerusalem, on which he blamed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom he dubbed a "terrorist."

 

 

"A government that hides behind concrete barriers instead of forcing terrorists to hide has no right to exist; a government that apologies instead of demanding apologies while its citizens are getting killed has no right to exist," Bennett said in a speech at Bar Ilan University.

 

Naftali Bennett (Photo: Ido Erez)
Naftali Bennett (Photo: Ido Erez)

 

He made the comments as scores of young masked Palestinians threw stones and fired fireworks at Border Patrol officers in the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem, and rightists took to Jerusalem's street to protest the deteriorated security situation in the Capital.

 

He also blasted Palestinian President Abbas, saying "Abu Mazen says Jews desecrate the Temple Mount just by entering it, and calls on his people to stop them in any way possible is not a partner (for peace), but a terrorist. Arafat did it with a gun and uniform, Abbas does it with a suit and tie – that's the only difference."

 

Video: Mohammed Shinawi    (צילום: מוחמד שינאווי)

Video: Mohammed Shinawi

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Bennett, who is part of the Security Cabinet – an inner circle of Israel's top government ministers which takes many security related decisions with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the IDF's top brass – said Israel must launch an new Operation Defensive Shield operation to restore control over the capital.

 

"A government that does not know how to return deterrence and sovereignty should not exist. When do we become a nation on defense? With large concrete barriers, Iron Domes, security guards in every corner, a shelter for every child. The time has come for an Operation Defensive Shield in Jerusalem.

 

Operation Defensive Shield was a massive IDF operation in 2002, in response to the Second Intifada.

 

Bennett reminded that he has repeatedly attempted to hold a special Cabinet meeting on the issue of Jerusalem over the last year, and said he fears a third Intifada is brewing right under the government's nose. "Placing concrete barriers is not a solution, it only fuels the fire," he said in response to security measures placed in flashpoints throughout the city.

 

Elaborating on his plan, Bennett said that "During Operation Protective Shield we entered the hearts of all the terror cities (in the West Bank) and terror stopped. We didn't hide, we attacked. We didn't run, we won. A defensive shield means finding the terrorists in their beds at 3am. We need to get a hold of ourselves and then we will win."

 

Earlier Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Jordanian King Abdullah Thursday afternoon in wake of recent events on the Temple Mount and reiterated Israel's "preserve the status quo" of the al-Aqsa compound and Jordan's role in managing the holy site.

  

Israel says it wants stability in Jordan and is sensitive to its position in regards to the flashpoint site. Prime Minister Netanyahu's Office said that "both leaders called for an immediate end to all acts of violence and incitement."

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.07.14, 00:08
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