'PM doesn't get depth of change Israelis demanding'

Livni slams Netanyahu for not understanding that protesters want a "different Israel"; says PM causing deterioration of Israel's standing.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
tzipi livni_311 (photo credit: Idan Gross )
tzipi livni_311
(photo credit: Idan Gross )
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni slammed both the diplomatic and social policies of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying that he doesn't understand the depth of social change Israelis are demanding and blamed him for the Palestinian bid for statehood in the United Nations next month.
In an interview with Israel Radio, Livni said that Netanyahu is causing a deterioration of Israel's standing in the world by "giving speeches instead of changing the situation."
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The Palestinians, she added, have had the opportunity to utilize a majority in the United Nations General Assembly for decades, but have not done so until now because they prefer negotiations. Livni noted that negotiations took place during the previous Kadima government, during which, she added, she was able to protect Israel's interests.
Today, "Netanyahu is begging to enter the negotiating room under worse conditions because he understands that negotiations will prevent the recognition [of statehood] at the UN, but he still cannot succeed to prevent it," Livni said.
Addressing the social sphere, which has seen hundreds of thousands of Israelis take to the streets in recent weeks demanding change in social and economic policies, the opposition leader added, "[the prime minister] only gives speeches because he doesn't want to really change the situation."
Netanyahu, she charged, "doesn't understand that the people in the streets want a different Israel and aren't talking only about transfers between budget items." His actions, particularly regarding the budget and the appointment of the Trajtenberg Committee, she explained "show that he's not interested in a true change of priorities."