MK Avigdor Lieberman
MK Avigdor LiebermanFlash 90

MK and former Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beitenu) criticized the government's reaction to yesterday's rocket fire from Gaza.

"What has changed for the worse is not the threats but rather Israel's deterrence, which has been damaged since Operation Protective Edge," said Liberman. His remark came during a talk in Be'er Sheva.

He added that "It does not matter if the Grad rockets which landed in southern Israel yesterday, less than a year after the operation, were fired by Salafists or by ISIS in Sinai."

Instead, the MK claimed that Israel must focus on restoring its strength as a deterrent. "Ever since the State was established there have always been threats against Israel. Sometimes it was Hezbollah, sometimes Hamas, and each time there are different names. The damage to Israel's deterrence makes them not take us seriously. Not in the negotiation with Iran in Vienna, not in Gaza, and not in the Sinai."

"How long will the State of Israel survive? It's clear that the Netanyahu government, under its current composition, will not last until the end of 2015. You can't pass a budget when you are dependent on every MK who comes with their own demands, sometimes strange, sometimes justified."

Liberman also discussed the attack on the Benjamin Brigade commander near Kalandia yesterday. He said, "It's insufferable that our soldiers are ready to be attacked in order to not be put under investigation. I hope that the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will look into this and will change the rules in order to allow our soldiers to defend themselves."

The Likud party issued an official response to Liberman's remarks.

"The facts prove exactly the opposite," the party said in a statement.

"If it wasn't for the Prime Minister's tough stance on Iran, it would likely have already used nuclear weapons. It if wasn't for his decision to build the security barrier on the Egyptian border and on the Golan, terror from ISIS and others would likely have already penetrated into Israel.

"It is due to the responsible and tough administration, which carried out Operation Protective Edge, that over the past year Gaza has been quieter than any other time in the last decade: About 10 rockets since Operation Protective Edge, compared with 140 rockets in the year after Cast Lead."