‘Netanyahu disliked but likely voted for’

Israelis do not like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his policies at home and abroad yet they are likely to vote for him in the upcoming legislative election, says a French weekly.

The Parisian magazine Le Point ran a commentary on the political life of the current Israeli premier, saying that when deciding on election campaign issues, Netanyahu listens only to his American political advisor Arthur Finkelstein.

The magazine also noted that some question Netanyahu’s integrity and liken him to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, saying he has different political languages: One for foreign leaders and another for politicians at home.

On Monday, Netanyahu made a last-ditch plea to disaffected Israeli voters and urged them to go to the polls on January 22 and vote for him.

“I appeal to each and every citizen going to the ballot box: ‘Decide for whom you are going to vote - for a divided and weak Israel or for a united and strong Israel and a large governing party?’” he said.

The appeal followed weeks of rising support for Naftali Bennett, who has posed serious challenge to Netanyahu.

Bennett, a young politician from the religious far-right camp, leads Jewish Home Party, which has so far had only three seats in the Israeli parliament.

Bennett, who is opposed to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, believes that Israel should annex the so-called Area C to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, an area, which makes nearly 60 percent of the Tel Aviv-occupied West Bank.

Bennett was Netanyahu’s bureau chief and ran his campaign for the Likud Party leadership in 2007. However, he later resigned from his position after quarreling with Netanyahu’s wife.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/01/22/284876/netanyahu-disliked-but-likely-voted-for/

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Netanyahu tidak lanjutkan pembekuan

Pendatang Yahudi menurunkan acuan simen pada batu asas bagi pembinaan bangunan di kawasan penempatan haram Kiryat Netafim di Tebing Barat, Palestin, kelmarin. – AP

BAITULMAQDIS 27 Sept. – Perdana Menteri Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu membiarkan pembekuan ke atas aktiviti pembinaan perumahan haram Yahudi di wilayah Palestin berakhir tengah malam tadi tanpa menghiraukan tekanan hebat masyarakat antarabangsa supaya beliau melanjutkan tempoh itu.
Netanyahu, bagaimanapun menggesa Presiden Palestin, Mahmoud Abbas tidak menarik diri daripada rundingan damai secara langsung dengan Israel sebagai protes.
“Saya menggesa Presiden Abbas meneruskan rundingan positif dan jujur yang baru kita lancarkan dalam usaha untuk mencapai perjanjian damai bersejarah antara kedua-dua rakyat kita,” kata Netanyahu dalam kenyataan, awal hari ini.
Kenyataan itu dikeluarkan sejurus selepas beliau membiarkan pembekuan selama 10 bulan ke atas sebahagian pembinaan kawasan penempatan haram Yahudi di wilayah Palestin berakhir tanpa dilanjutkan.
Abbas sebelum ini menggesa Netanyahu melanjutkan pembekuan tersebut.
“Presiden Abbas mahu meneruskan rundingan tetapi Netanyahu mesti mengambil keputusan untuk membekukan aktiviti pembinaan bagi mewujudkan suasana yang sesuai untuk meneruskan rundingan damai,” kata jurucakap Abbas, Nabil Abu Rudeina kepada AFP di Paris.
Amerika Syarikat (AS) juga mengulangi desakannya supaya Israel terus membekukan pembinaan kawasan perumahan haram baru Yahudi, dan berkata, pendirian Washington berhubung isu tersebut masih tidak berubah.
“Kami terus berhubung rapat dengan kedua-dua pihak dan akan menemui mereka lagi pada hari-hari akan datang,” kata jurucakap Jabatan Negara, PJ Crowley.
Abbas telah berkali-kali memberi amaran beliau akan menarik diri daripada rundingan damai yang dilancarkan semula di White House pada awal bulan ini jika Israel menyambung semula aktiviti pembinaan penempatan haram Yahudi di Tebing Barat.
Namun, Abbas semalam berkata, beliau akan menemui menteri-menteri luar Arab pada 4 Oktober ini terlebih dahulu sebelum memutuskan langkah seterusnya.
Kawasan penempatan haram Yahudi di wilayah Palestin adalah antara isu paling hangat dalam konflik Israel-Palestin.
Buat masa ini kira-kira 500,000 rakyat Israel tinggal di lebih 120 kawasan penempatan haram Yahudi di serata tempat di Tebing Barat dan timur Baitulmaqdis, wilayah-wilayah yang dituntut oleh Palestin untuk dijadikan negara mereka kelak. – AFP