Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett sharply attacked Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Sunday morning for his handling of Gaza Strip violence.
Bennett said he would take his complaints to the next meeting of the security cabinet and try to change Israel’s policies, which he said were not strong enough.
“The policies of restraint and weakness of Liberman are policies of failure,” he said. “Over the last few days, we see the dangerous results of the defense minister’s policies regarding the Gaza Strip. The more restraint there has been, the more terror. This is not the way to run security policies, this is a way to fail.”
Bennett said the incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip continue to threaten residents of Gaza’s border communities. He also complained about rioting near the border fence, which he said has escalated and could allow Palestinians to enter Israel without fear.
“Under the guise of ‘pragmatism’ and ‘responsibility,’ Liberman has abandoned the security of residents of the south to Hamas,” Bennett said. “The time has come
to tell the truth. The agreement between Libermanand Hamas has collapsed. We must stop this situation. These are not security policies the public expects from a right wing government.”
Yisrael Beytenu responded by accusing Bennett of being jealous of Liberman, because he holds the Defense Portfolio.
“On Friday, seven Palestinian rioters were killed and 500 wounded without a single Israeli getting scratched, as a result of the determined and strong policies of Liber- man that have proven themselves,” the party said. “The Education Minister should focus on his failures on the educational system and not interfere with things that require experience, responsibility and good judgment. As a member of the security cabinet, Bennett was a partner to its decisions, and even when he bothered to come to the meeting, he did not oppose the cabinet’s decisions.”