Livni accuses Netanyahu of 'humiliating Palestinians'

Opposition chairwoman addresses Knesset during opening of winter session, says government causing Israel to lose world's support



Opposition Chairwoman Tzipi Livni on Monday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being responsible for the uproar created by the United Nations report into the Israeli operation in Gaza. She hinted that Israel was the one who revealed that the Palestinians had deferred a Human Rights Council vote on the report, because the prime minister "had to boast of his performance."

Livni, who spoke during the opening ceremony of the Knesset's winter session, was interrupted several times by Likud Knesset members.

"Israel's prime minister is worthy of congratulations," the Kadima chairwoman said at the start of her speech. "Nine months have passed since the government was established, and it has indeed met its main objective – you have managed to survive. This is the Israeli government's main accomplishment.

"The second accomplishment, and unfortunately this is how you see it, Mr. Prime Minister, is that you have managed as prime minister to do nothing," she added. "A government needs a vision, and your vision for the people of Israel is that we should not be 'frierim' (suckers). This is real Zionism."

Livni went on to criticize the prime minister in terms of the negotiations with the Palestinians. "You have caused Israel to be in the corner and lost more and more strongholds of support and understanding every day, but who's counting?

"You have managed to beat the president of the United States, Israel's greatest friend, or at least this is the impression you and your people tried to convey after the meeting. You have managed to humiliate the only partner for a peace settlement Israel has.

"In short: We have beaten America, humiliated the Palestinians, isolated ourselves. Raise your head from the small politics and see what has happened, see that Israel is excommunicated. Today Turkey, yesterday Britain, before that Europe."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3789004,00.html

Only wish she would/could take Israel in better direction.

as for "beating" Obama that remains to seen Netanyahu cheers winning a battle but doesn't seem to know he's losing the "war"

I wasn't sure about the beating America bit, but I guess she is right that that's the message Nutty and his gang tried to send after the meeting...

She may be too hawkish for some of the folks in "Team Palestine," but she and Kadima are the ones that could have brought about a peace settlement, and make it stick.