MK Danny Danon
MK Danny DanonIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s decision to expel Jews from the Machpelah House in Hevron is part of his election campaign, deputy Knesset speaker Danny Danon accused Tuesday.

“Since he realized that he will not be given a guaranteed spot on the Likud list, Barak is trying to gather votes from supporters of the extreme Left,” Danon said. “With his recent actions, he has begun his election campaign, which is aimed as his target public on the far Left.”

Barak and the IDF Civil Administration are taking a pro-Arab approach, Danon charged. Their attitude “is  likely to cause a civil war,” he warned.

Danon called on Barak to stop putting Palestinian Authority complaints first, and to give increased weight to Jewish heritage.

“It seems that Barak thinks the Machpelah House is like his house in Akirov,” Danon said,  referring to Barark’s luxury apartment in the Akirov towers in Tel Aviv, which the defense minister recently sold for 26.5 million shekels. “He thinks that it can just be left in favor of a different house. The Machpelah House is not Akirov.”