Livni, Yacimovich: Harpaz Affair shows PM lacks leadership

Labor leader: Report shows Barak, Ashkenazi have “twisted” motivations; Livni says Netanyahu unable to manage national security issues.

By LAHAV HARKOV
barak ashkenazi 311 (photo credit: IDF Spokesperson)
barak ashkenazi 311
(photo credit: IDF Spokesperson)
Party leaders on the Left blasted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu following the release of the Harpaz Report on Sunday, saying it showed his lack of responsibility in matters of national security.
Labor leader Shelly Yacimovich said the report shows that Defense Minister Ehud Barak and former IDF chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi have “twisted” motivations when making decisions that influence the fate of the State of Israel.
“It is clear, beyond any doubt, that the military level is below the government in a civilized democratic state, and if this is not kept, it must be taken care of,” she stated.
Yacimovich added that the report brings up a “disturbing question: Where was Netanyahu, and did he not think this behavior harmed national security?” The Labor chairwoman slammed the prime minister for his “lack of leadership in an incomprehensible situation,” saying the report is one of many examples of the government’s negligence in making important decisions.
Tzipi Livni said the Harpaz Report, together with former Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin’s criticism of the prime minister, show that Netanyahu is “unable to manage, with a steady hand, Israel’s national security issues.”
“Netanyahu prefers narrow political interests over national ones, and has failed once again,” Livni stated.
On the right, the Strong Israel Party called Barak and Ashkenazi “liars” and called for Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein to investigate them.
“Ashkenazi tried to start a putsch against the government, and Barak destroyed evidence,” party leaders MKs Arieh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari stated. “We cannot allow this to happen again.”