In addition to Benny Begin, support for the campaign against the plan has come from an unexpected source: the father of Education Minister Limor Livnat. Mr. Uziel Livnat, a long-time Likud ideologue, came out against his daughter's position today in a hard-hitting interview on Army Radio.
"The Land of Israel, in my eyes, is one unit," Mr. Livnat said. "It is not something to be 'disengaged' from, nor to uproot communities from. My grandfather was brought to this land by foot at age 13 to 'cherish its dust.' I feel a commitment to every part of this Land." Livnat's pain at the decision of his daughter to support the disengagement plan was evident in his words.
"I'm hurt and wounded and pained at the act of uprooting Jewish towns in the Land of Israel," Mr. Livnat said this morning. "I'm not a political person, I'm a person of values. Political people have values also, but with other considerations as well." Asked about the "pragmatism" of the Likud ministers, he said, "That's not pragmatism. Being pragmatic means the entire Land of Israel! What the Prime Minister is trying to do is unprecedented and is particularly grave. I will do everything I can, at my advanced age, to help those who are opposed to this plan."
The close relationship between father and daughter on political issues came to the fore during the Cabinet meeting of Jan. 15, 1997, when the Netanyahu government approved the Hevron withdrawal agreement. Minister Livnat voted against. Arutz-7 reported at the time:
"The meeting was dramatically interrupted at approximately 10 PM when Minister Livnat announced that she had just received word (from her father, via cellular phone) that, according to the television news, the Americans do not back the Israeli interpretation of the future-withdrawals clause. According to sources at the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu turned pale, and amidst the tense quiet, he instructed Cabinet Secretary Danny Naveh to clarify the issue. After a few minutes, Naveh returned and said, "I spoke to Dennis Ross, and he doesn't know anything about it." Netanyahu said, "That's not enough. Tell him I want an official clarification, and until then this meeting is adjourned and we will not vote." During the break, the ministers discussed the fact that they would now definitely miss Minister David Levy's son's wedding; Minister Sharansky said, "We should be going now to pray at the Western Wall, not to a wedding." Within half an hour, an official American statement was made, to the effect that Israel is authorized to unilaterally determine the extent of the land from which it will withdraw during the next three stages."
"The Land of Israel, in my eyes, is one unit," Mr. Livnat said. "It is not something to be 'disengaged' from, nor to uproot communities from. My grandfather was brought to this land by foot at age 13 to 'cherish its dust.' I feel a commitment to every part of this Land." Livnat's pain at the decision of his daughter to support the disengagement plan was evident in his words.
"I'm hurt and wounded and pained at the act of uprooting Jewish towns in the Land of Israel," Mr. Livnat said this morning. "I'm not a political person, I'm a person of values. Political people have values also, but with other considerations as well." Asked about the "pragmatism" of the Likud ministers, he said, "That's not pragmatism. Being pragmatic means the entire Land of Israel! What the Prime Minister is trying to do is unprecedented and is particularly grave. I will do everything I can, at my advanced age, to help those who are opposed to this plan."
The close relationship between father and daughter on political issues came to the fore during the Cabinet meeting of Jan. 15, 1997, when the Netanyahu government approved the Hevron withdrawal agreement. Minister Livnat voted against. Arutz-7 reported at the time:
"The meeting was dramatically interrupted at approximately 10 PM when Minister Livnat announced that she had just received word (from her father, via cellular phone) that, according to the television news, the Americans do not back the Israeli interpretation of the future-withdrawals clause. According to sources at the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu turned pale, and amidst the tense quiet, he instructed Cabinet Secretary Danny Naveh to clarify the issue. After a few minutes, Naveh returned and said, "I spoke to Dennis Ross, and he doesn't know anything about it." Netanyahu said, "That's not enough. Tell him I want an official clarification, and until then this meeting is adjourned and we will not vote." During the break, the ministers discussed the fact that they would now definitely miss Minister David Levy's son's wedding; Minister Sharansky said, "We should be going now to pray at the Western Wall, not to a wedding." Within half an hour, an official American statement was made, to the effect that Israel is authorized to unilaterally determine the extent of the land from which it will withdraw during the next three stages."