Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Habayit Hayehudi) on Sunday morning launched yet another attack against Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu), following last Friday’s riots at the Gaza border fence, in which a hundred hand grenades and explosive devices were thrown at IDF soldiers.
Bennett argued that the Liberman-Hamas agreements have collapsed and that this is what a failed policy looks like, adding that he intends to raise the matter before the next cabinet meeting.
“In the past few days, we have witnessed the dangerous results of the defense minister’s policy of restraint and weakness in the Gaza Strip – more restraint, more terrorism,” Bennett said. “This is not the way to conduct a security policy, this is what a failed policy looks like.”
In his remarks, the minister and cabinet member also discussed the phenomenon of incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip setting fires in southern Israel:
“These continue to threaten the residents of the Gaza border vicinity, while the rioting at the fence escalate the violence and Palestinian infiltrators reach IDF positions fearlessly.”
According to Bennett, at the beginning of the Hamas riots at the border security fence, he presented a plan for dealing with the Gaza Strip: “The plan is based on a clear principle: restraint will lead to escalation. The current situation is a direct result of Liberman’s policy vis-à-vis the Gaza Strip.”
“Under the guise of ‘pragmatism’ and responsibility, Liberman has left the security of the residents of the south to the Hamas’ discretion,” Bennett attacked Liberman. “The time has come to tell the truth: the Liberman-Hamas agreements have collapsed, this situation must be stopped – this is not the security policy that the public expects to see from a rightwing government.”
The Yisrael Beiteinu party said in response: “Last Friday, seven Palestinian rioters were killed, more than 500 were injured and no Israeli was scratched as a result of a determined and powerful policy that has proved itself.
“The repeated attacks by the Education Minister of on the Defense Minister seem to indicate the hysteria and jealousy in which he is living. He should better focus on his failures in the education system and not interfere with things that require experience, responsibility and judgment.
“Minister Bennett is a full partner in the decisions of the cabinet, and even when he has bothered to appear in the discussions on the Gaza issue, we can’t recall his ever opposing the policy of the cabinet.”
It should be noted that Minister Liberman’s military service was as NCO at the IDF military government in Hebron, and as part of the Artillery corps in his reserves service.
Minster Bennett volunteered for Sayeret Matkal special forces, where he served as combat soldier. After graduating from officers’ school, Bennett was appointed commander of a reconnaissance team and later served as company commander and platoon commander.