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Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu (file)
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| By Israel Insider staff September 20, 2007 |
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Opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu angered the Prime Minister's Office after he publicly acknowledged Israel's alleged air strike against Syria's reported nuclear facilities, congratulating Ehud Olmert during an interview, according to the local media.
Speaking during a live interview on Channel 1 news, Netanyahu said that he was "part of the matter from the beginning," in Israel's first public acknowledgement of the foray, the Jerusalem Post reported.
"When we are dealing with matters of national security, I know how to give my support," Netanyahu said when asked if he was concerned about Olmert's increased popularity following the incident.
Critics condemned the former prime minister, attributing his remarks to gain recognition.
"Netanyahu's uncontrollable desire to take credit for accomplishments proves, and not for the first time, that he puts his personal interest ahead of the State's. Netanyahu pulled a Bibi, he blabbered himself senseless," Ynet quoted MK Ophir Pines-Paz of Labor as saying.
MK Yoel Hasson of Kadima echoed the criticism, saying "even at the price of compromising national security" Netanyahu would do anything to make it look like he was "in the loop about one operation or another."
However right wing politicians dismissed the criticism as the left exploiting the incident as an opportunity to discredit Netanyahu.
"We would expect Olmert, who only two months ago exposed Israel's nuclear capability through his endless blabber, to stay quiet and not create a fuss over nothing," MK Gilad Erdan of Likud said Thursday.
Likud MK Limor Livnat reiterated the condemnation of her fellow party members, adding that the uproar appeared to be an attempt by Olmert supporters to deflect the barrage of criticism of Olmert's proposed concessions to the Palestinians.
She said that the attacks on Netanyahu were a "media spin created by the prime minister and his aides and aimed at distracting the public's attention from Olmert's plan to divide Jerusalem and relinquish the Temple Mount."
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