Tzipi Livni, leader of Israel’s Kadima party, resigned from the Knesset on Tuesday, warning in her resignation address that Israel’s leaders are putting Israel in “mortal danger.”
Livni warned that Israel’s current leadership, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, has destructive approaches to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and to the issue of Iran.
“Israel is on a volcano,” she said, “the international clock is ticking, and the existence of a Jewish, democratic state is in mortal danger.” This was in reference to the persistent dismissal of Israel’s obligations under international law, continuing to expand settlement construction in Palestinian territory and actively ward off a political settlement.
“The real danger is a politics that buries its head in the sand,” Livni said, adding that it didn’t “take a Shin Bet chief to know that.” This was an apparent reference to recent comments made by the former chief of the security service Yuval Diskin, in which harshly criticized Netanyahu’s dogmatic and hawkish approach towards Iran.
Diskin said that Netanyahu and Barak have been “creating a false impression about the Iranian issue” and “appealing to the stupid public” by suggesting the launching a preventive war is the best and only option.
The criticisms of Livni and Diskin are only the latest in a string of harsh criticism from Israeli figures dissenting from the uncompromising, militaristic postures of Netanyahu’s Likud. Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan recently reiterated his opposition to striking Iran, charging Netanyahu of misleading the public on the issue.
The current head of the Mossad Tamir Pardo has also said as much, maintaining that a nuclear Iran, even if it were developing weapons, which it isn’t, would not necessarily present an existential threat to Israel. Israel’s military chief Benny Gantz also stated last week that Iran’s leadership is rational, on the defensive, and is not developing nuclear weapons despite the “hysteria” caused by the rhetoric of Netanyahu and Barak.
Ehud Olmert, former prime minister, last week assailed Netanyahu, arguing “There is no reason at this time not to talk about a military effort, but definitely not to initiate an Israeli military strike.”
These scathing critiques of the current hard-line Israeli government seem lost on many leading American figures, who refuse to dissent from anything Israel does and who habitually equate any such American criticism with anti-Semitism.
If there is a war, I want all the Israel-firsters in this country to enlist their sons and daughters on the front line. Put your own children where your mouth is. That will be the end of these armchair warriors like Bolton, Rove, et. al.
well looks like Israelis have finally figured out where that "existential threat" really lies.
US congress is certainly one of the most bribed on this issue….that this world sees…
until that ends expect nothing good to come from the US's trouble making in the ME
I guess many of the smarter Israel have stated to understand that people are now looking at Israel. What Israel cannot stand is daylight. When individuals facts are brought into the daylight the entire moral standing of Israel crashes. I will point out to the recent 60 minutes and the brutal attack by the Israel official. Why did he not just stand up and say this is the facts and 60 minutes is wrong. No head went behind the door and tried to kill the story so it could not be aired. That is so typical of most of the acts. People who do not like the policies of Israel are not antisemtic. They are against the policies of a nation and a nation which we provided hundreds of billions of USA taxpayers dollars.
I cannot imagine anyone who supports Israel and then tries to play that stilly antisemtic game. It gives all Israeli a blackeye.
I suspect bibi will be out of office shortly. Go. Let him join some phony college and cry like his father and collect a big paycheck.
It is encouraging that there really are respected voices within Israel who understand that the current government is not acting in the best interest of the country. Perhaps it's time that the Israelis purged the old-timers from the ranks of the ruling class and replaced them with forward thinking visionaries, like Livni, who actually care about resolving issues with their neighbors peacefully and respectfully.
You may rethink that high opinion you have of her if you know that Madam Livni is the offspring of the chief of operations in Menachem Begin's anti-British Irgun underground movement and her mother was an Irgun soldier, in other words, both her parents were the original terrorists in the Middle East. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree whether it be in an illegal settlement in Palestine or Americha.
Read more: Tzipi Livni Biography (Political Leader) — Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/biography/var/tzipilivn…
Can't question her lineage but what I've read indicates, to me, that she is more moderate than any of the current bunch leading the government. And that she has been an advocate of the 2 state solution for awhile – and seems to mean it – unlike Netanyahoo who only says he wants a 2 state solution when he talks to the Americans (and their checkbooks). So, for now, I'll maintain my current opinion of her – but thanks for your view.
the dork stayed with him long enough
Ha ha ha! The illegal Zionist project is bursting at the seam. Burn MOFO, burn!