Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) on Friday blasted former Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, after the latter criticized the defense aid agreement between Israel and the United States and blamed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the fact that the scope of the aid was not as high as Israel could have received.
“It looks like a pathetic attempt by Ehud Barak to return to public awareness,” Erdan told Channel 2 News in an interview, adding, "It is unacceptable hypocrisy."
"I think the public knows that almost all the arguments on the issue are based on political interests," he continued. "I do not accept the hypocrisy of politicians who know how to work with the Prime Minister for four years, and all the insights come only after disagreements forced them to leave their position. None of the professionals are familiar with any promises for a higher amount [in the agreement]."
In the interview, Erdan also spoke about the terror wave of the last year, in comments that came hours after a series of attacks took place throughout Judea and Samaria. These included the wounding of an IDF soldier in a knife attack near Hevron, and an attempted stabbing at the Damascus Gate at the Old City of Jerusalem.
Erdan argued that despite the latest attacks, the Israeli government had been able to suppress the terror wave.
"The facts show a downward trend," he said, adding, "There is a dramatic decrease in the number of attacks. The State of Israel has managed to suppress this terror wave."
As for Friday’s attacks, Erdan pointed out that there tends to be a rise in violent attacks ahead of the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
"We need to take into account that before the High Holy Days and visits of Jews to the Temple Mount, the incitement rises. This is widespread incitement which is often spread via social media, and because of that we fear that there will be an increase in violence. This is a period of high tension and the preparations to remove extremists from the Temple Mount and the Old City are made accordingly,” he said.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)