Livni: PM fails to understand, deal with extremism

Opposition leader accuses Netanyahu of closing eyes to extremist ideology; mosque arson reported in W. Bank.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
tzipi livni_311 (photo credit: Idan Gross )
tzipi livni_311
(photo credit: Idan Gross )
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu either doesn't understand, or doesn't want to deal with extremist ideology, said opposition leader Tzipi Livni (Kadima) on Thursday. Livni's comments came in response to the prime minister's announcement Wednesday night of new measures to address recent extreme right-wing escalations.
Netanyahu stated that Jews rioting in the West Bank will now be tried in military courts like Palestinians. However, he rejected calls by ministers to class suspects as terrorists.
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"There is a struggle for Israel's image," said Livni in a statement. "To this struggle, an extreme right-wing coalition is teaming up with a number of rabbis who want to impose a 'Halachic [Jewish law] state', and young people who are trying to impose their ideology on us, the Zionist majority."
"We, the Zionist majority, should all stand on the other side of this struggle. We must fight for the character and nature of Israel," she continued.
"This government... is laying fertile ground for these tumors. When Netanyahu says that we are dealing with rioters and not ideological crime, it indicates one of two things - either he doesn't understand what is happening here, or he doesn't want to deal with this extremist ideology because of his natural coalition partners," Livni asserted. 
At the same time, a new report of West Bank violence was emerging Thursday morning. Palestinians sources reported that a mosque was set alight in Kfar Burka in Binyamin, Army Radio reported. According the report, carpets and chairs in the mosque were damaged. The IDF was investigating the reported incident.