by Gideon Allon and Mati Tuchfeld
Opposition MKs blast Security Council for "dangerous and biased" anti-Israel resolution, blame the government for ignoring warning signs • Meretz leader: Decision targets settlement policy, not Israel • Opposition head calls on PM Netanyahu to resign.
Opposition Leader Isaac
Herzog (Zionist Union)
|
Photo credit: Gideon Markowicz  |
Opposition MKs leveled harsh criticism at the
U.N. Security Council over the weekend following its decision to adopt
an anti-Israel resolution
Friday. At the same time, they blasted the government, saying its
policies on the Judea and Samaria settlement enterprise resulted in a
"dark day" for Israel at the U.N.
Opposition Leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union)
denounced the Security Council, and called on Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu to resign.
"This has been an extremely difficult evening for Israel, the likes of which we haven't seen in decades," Herzog said Friday.
"I adamantly oppose this decision, which is a
harsh strategic blow to Israel. The U.S. should have vetoed this
resolution because it severely undermines Jerusalem, the settlement
blocs, and Israel's position. This resolution must be fought and … there
is no doubt that the policies of a different government, a responsible
and more realistic government, could have prevented this from happening.
If Netanyahu has a shred of responsibility left, he should turn in his
keys and understand he can no longer run the affairs of this state."
Hatnuah Chairwoman Tzipi Livni said the resolution was the result of Netanyahu's "capitulation to the far Right."
She said that "you can blame [U.S. President
Barack] Obama for this, but many nations supported this resolution,"
including Britain, France, Russia and China -- the other Security
Council members with veto power.
"We warned, in real-time, that the outpost
regulation bill would lead to Security Council action. Freezing
settlement construction would have prevented this vote," she said.
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid called the resolution "dangerous and biased," saying Israel will not abide by it.
Blasting some in the Left who lauded the vote,
Lapid said, "I strongly condemn the way in which some in the Left have
celebrated the fact that Israel was dealt this blow. Patriots do not
behave this way. Still, this doesn’t take away from the fact that this
is a very serious thing -- we learned that no country in the world
agrees with the government."
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak said, "I
recommend not dismissing this resolution. This is a humiliating blow to
Israel and a major failure by Netanyahu."
The Prime Minister's Office blasted Barak,
tweeting that "he would be wise to remember he was the most failed prime
minister in Israel's history, whose short term in office included an
intifada that claimed the lives of over 1,000 people."
Joint Arab List Chairman Ayman Odeh welcomed
the U.N. Security Council's vote, saying, "The arrogance of Netanyahu
and his ministers, the outpost regulation bill, and the theft of
Palestinian land have led the international community to understand that
the real peace rejectionist is the Israeli government. Now we have to
continue working in both the national and international arenas to
establish a Palestinian state and reach a peace deal that benefits both
the Palestinians and the Israelis."
Meretz Chairwoman Zehava Galon stressed that
"the resolution was not aimed at Israel but rather against the
government's annexation and settlement policy. This resolution is the
world's way of saying it is fed up with duplicitous Israeli policies --
allegedly supporting the two-state solution, while being politically
obligated to the settlement enterprise."
Gideon Allon and Mati Tuchfeld
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=39055
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