Benjamin Netanyahu continues to "spread lies and fantasies and attempts to change history," sources close to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in response to Bibi's announcement Tuesday that he will run for the Likud party leadership.
"He (Bibi) forgot that he left the Likud with 19 Knesset seats and huge debts, and escaped to America," a Sharon associate said, referring to Netanyahu's tenure as prime minister.
Lior Horev, who served as Sharon's strategic advisor during the last elections campaign, said Tuesday's speech "showed the same Bibi, with the same shticks."
"There is no doubt Bibi presented the rejectionsit front of the delusional coalition of the far right, which he wishes to lead, a coalition that not only does not enjoy the support of most of the public in Israel but could also isolate Israel on the international stage."
The current state of the ruling Likud party is reminiscent of the last days of Rome and is filled with treachery and political eliminations at the expanse of the country, Minister Matan Vilnai (Labor) said in response to Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement.
"This is Labor's big chance to promote a new agenda and that's what we'll do," Vilnai said.
Meanwhile, Knesset Member Yossi Sarid (Meretz-Yachad) said that should Netanyahu be elected to lead the Likud, "the Left will congratulate him and those who elected him."
According to Sarid, Netanyahu will bring left-wing parties back to life and force them to "save the country from the number one charlatan."
"We haven't lost our hope, we count on the Likud Central Committee," Sarid concluded.
Opposition leader Yosef Lapid (Shinui) also provided some amusing commentary on the inner Likud struggle, saying that "if half of what Netanyahu says about Sharon is true, and if half of what Sharon says about Bibi is true, this is enough to refrain from voting for the Likud."
Lapid characterized the Likud as a "torn, divided party unfit to lead the country."
'Netanyahu and his cheerleaders'
Environment Minister Shalom Simhon (Labor) said that Netanyahu should not be shaking up the political system because of his desire to run for the Likud leadership.
"We mustn't allow Netanyahu and his cheerleaders to determine when elections will be held," he said. "I call on Sharon to agree, with Labor, on an election date in May and formulate a joint budget."
Meanwhile, MK Uri Ariel, one of the most staunch pullout objectors, expressed his hope that Bibi does not follow in the footsteps of Prime Minister Sharon.
"We expect the person who shows pretense to lead the national camp to make a clear declaration against the handover of more Judea and Samaria territory," Ariel said.
First published: 17:50, 08.30.5