Former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union) criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the impasse in negotiations with the Palestinians.
"Netanyahu is missing an opportunity because he's afraid of [Jewish Home head Naftali] Bennett. The Arab states want Israel on their side but they won't do anything until we take steps towards resolving the conflict with the Palestinians," Livni said in a speech in Kfar Saba.
"We have a rare opportunity at this time," the MK continued, "the region's moderate states want to form an alliance to counteract Iran and Hezbollah. They want Israel by their side. The Prime Minister is letting this opportunity slip away because he's afraid of what Bennett might do or say."
Livni also addressed Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman's harsh conversation with Army Radio Commander Yaron Dekel, in which Liberman reprimanded him for airing a show touting the work of Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. "Liberman can't understand what's going on [Hamas leader Ismail] Haniyeh's head, so he's asking for Dekel's head instead."
"We have here a government which has made it a goal to weaken the judicial system, which is why we saw Liberman ignore the Attorney-General's instruction not to interfere with Army Radio. Liberman's deeds reflect the government's policies in all areas: intimidating the media, ignoring the Attorney-General, and harming minorities.
"They don't know how to provide real security, so instead they busy themselves with creating enemies from within. Liberman can't deal with Hamas in Gaza, so he deals with a radio station in Yaffo."