'Livni crossed red line with her political subversion' - Mati Tuchfeld, Yoni Hirsch and Efrat Forsher

by Mati Tuchfeld, Yoni Hirsch and Efrat Forsher

Israeli Right angry at Tzipi Livni, who reportedly recently told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that the passage of any U.N. Security Council resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process ahead of the elections would strengthen the Right.

Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni | Photo credit: Dudi Vaaknin

Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni and former President Shimon Peres recently told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that the passage of any U.N. Security Council resolution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process ahead of the Knesset elections in March would strengthen the Right, Foreign Policy magazine reported on Friday.

Citing a European diplomat, the Foreign Policy report said Livni had told Kerry that "such a text imposed by the international community would reinforce [Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu and the hard-liners in Israel."

Another European diplomat was quoted by Foreign Policy as saying that Livni's message was that U.N. action would "give more impetus to more right-wing parties, that there was a risk this could further embolden the more right-wing forces along the Israeli political spectrum."

In response to the report, Netanyahu's campaign staff issued a statement, saying, "The true faces of Tzipi [Livni] and Buji [Isaac Herzog] have been revealed. Immediately after the elections, they intend to withdraw and permit the establishment of a second Hamastan in Judea and Samaria. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the only leader who will not submit to dictates and international pressure."

Netanyahu's office said that the prime minister would "stand firmly and decisively" against such dictates and pressure and not compromise Israel's security.

The Likud Party also issued a statement, saying, "This shows that all that interests Tzipi and Buji is replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stands as a bulwark against the dictates and Palestinian pressure, so they can carry out dangerous withdrawals and completely capitulate in the face of international pressure."

Deputy Environmental Protection Minister Ofir Akunis (Likud) said, "In this election campaign, all red lines have been crossed. Mrs. Livni, who over the years has failed in her negotiations with the Arabs, is giving advice to a U.S. secretary of state just to promote her own personal political interests. This is further proof that the Livni-Herzog duo, which prefers political interests over Israel's interests, is dangerous for Israel."

Habayit Hayehudi also had harsh words for Livni. Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett said, "Livni has reached the depths of political subversion. Behind the back of the serving government, she is orchestrating activities that will harm Israel, all in order to harm 'Bibi/Bennett.' I expect Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog, whose honesty I respect, to call Livni to order, as in recent days she has abandoned any hint of statesmanship and is creating an atmosphere of incitement and anarchy, which endangers this elections campaign."

Habayit Hayehudi MK Ayelet Shaked wrote on Facebook, "Leftist subversion -- so Livni asked Kerry to delay the ambush of Israel, not because it would not be good for the country, but because it would not be good for the Left in the elections. This is unbelievable."

Speaking on Channel 10 on Saturday night, Livni responded to the criticism, saying, "I turned to Kerry to safeguard the interests of the State of Israel, to prevent the world's coercion of Palestinian demands on Israel. I'm glad I did it and I'm glad that things I do have an impact on the world, what cannot be said about Prime Minister Netanyahu. Instead of criticizing, Netanyahu and Bennett should call me and thank me for doing what they were not able to do."

The Labor and Hatnuah parties issued a joint statement, saying Livni had always opposed "any attempt by the Arabs to impose a new reality on Israel via unilateral steps." 

"This was her consistent approach, in public, and in private to the Americans, and this is her stance today," the statement said. "Livni is proud to have preserved key Israeli interests at the Security Council."

Hatnuah MK Amir Peretz expressed support for Livni, saying, "The outbursts of rightist leaders against Livni and Peres indicates the helplessness [of the Right]. After all, the prime minister is trying with all possible means to prevent the passage of U.N. resolutions related to two-state plans, and that is exactly what Livni and Peres did."

Commenting on the Foreign Policy report, a senior U.S. State Department official said, "Secretary Kerry made clear in private as he has in public that we don't think any steps should be taken that would interfere with the Israeli election -- that's what he conveyed earlier this week. He continues to discuss with foreign partners the options for advancing the goal we all share of preventing a downward spiral of events on the ground and creating conditions for resumption of negotiations on a two-state solution."

Mati Tuchfeld, Yoni Hirsch and Efrat Forsher

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=22277

Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.