Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is touting his support for free market policies in a new campaign video, while mocking members of the rival Blue and White party as being ignorant of economics, warning they would crush the Israeli economy if they win the election.
In a campaign video released Tuesday afternoon, Netanyahu mocked the recent comments by journalist Miki Haimovich, suggesting that Israel should refrain from using its natural gas reserves and “leave the gas in the ground”.
Haimovich, who is seventh on the Blue and White party’s Knesset slate, recently spoke with Yediot Ahronot regarding her opposition to the gas deal, paving the way for drilling in Israel’s off-shore gas reserves.
"A little economic update,” said Netanyahu. “Miki Haimovich, who is on the Gantz-Lapid Knesset list, said that we need to leave the gas in the ground. That's outrageous! [She wants] to bury hundreds of billions [of shekels] which need to go into the state's coffers for you to pay for education, welfare, and the elderly."
Netanyahu then mocked his former Finance Minister, Yair Lapid, calling the Yesh Atid chief’s term at the Finance Ministry a ‘failure’, and claiming Lapid once admitted to him that he knows nothing about economics.
"Well, that's not surprising. After all, Yair Lapid told me that he doesn't understand anything about economics. And he proved that during his failed term as Finance Minister."
The Prime Minister also took aim at other senior members of the Blue and White party, including chairman Benny Gantz and former IDF chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi, over their failed business ventures.
"Benny Gantz declared bankruptcy during the one time that he tried to start a private business in the free market, costing his investors millions. Also Gabi Ashkenazi did the same thing who lost millions for his investors in an oil company."
"But now, if they lose money, it won't be private investors who lose, they'll bury the entire economy. And that's a guarantee, because they also brought Nissenkorn into their party, who will bring his big committees in and give us a Histadrut economy,” Netanyahu continued, referring to the Histadrut national trade union, and its chief, Avi Nissenkorn, who recently joined the Blue and White party.
"We brought the free market, with growth and competition, with the great energy you have, citizens of Israel. Don't let them ruin the Israeli economy.”