Barak: This is not a reality TV show

Defense minister compares his political rivals to television hosts, implies Gaza truce only temporary.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
ehud barak 224.88 (photo credit: AP [file])
ehud barak 224.88
(photo credit: AP [file])
The cease-fire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip is a temporary reality, Defense Minister Ehud Barak implied late Monday night: "Believe me," he said, "those who miss Gaza operations needn't worry - they will come." Nevertheless, speaking at a Labor Faction conference in Jerusalem, the defense minister praised the truce agreement, despite the perceived threat to residents of the South. "We've never had a reason to regret wars, or military operations embarked upon from a place of strength," he claimed, adding that Israel was "succeeding in complicated tests." Israel faces great challenges, the defense minister continued, and as such needs experienced leadership. Comparing his political rivals to contestants in the popular TV show 'Survivor', Barak said that the current situation was not a reality television show where political survival was the imperative, but rather "a ship on stormy seas which needs to be led to safety." "You can try a new host on a series of 'Survivor'…. or a new judge on a talent show, but when there's a real storm, you take on an experienced captain," he went on. The defense minister also called on the Finance and Housing ministries to "roll up their sleeves" and provide protection for the South. "We are facing many challenges; Hamas in Gaza is only one of them. First of all we arranged the cease-fire, but I'm telling you that we need very extensive work [in the South], not just on the part of the Defense Ministry." "I call again on the Treasury and the Housing Ministry… to bring security to the residents of the area, who will be exposed daily should attacks start again," he stressed.