Opposition halts efforts to disperse Knesset after Gaza escalation

Politicians from across the political spectrum condemned the violence and showed solidarity with the residents.

By GIL HOFFMAN
Updated: OCTOBER 17, 2018 11:50
Yair Lapid (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Yair Lapid
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Yesh Atid and Meretz postponed a vote on a bill to disperse the Knesset and politicians canceled their schedules and headed to the South to make political statements about the rockets fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.
Yesh Atid also delayed a debate and a vote on its surrogacy bill for gay men.
Politicians from across the political spectrum condemned the violence and showed solidarity with the residents. While politicians on the right blamed Palestinian Authority chairman Mahomoud Abbas, those on the left said the missile attacks proved that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is no longer Mr. Security.
“We are sick of the government that strengthens the Hamas,” Zionist Union leader Avi Gabbay said. “We are sick of the government permitting the Hamas to ruin the lives of citizens of the South. We are sick of the security failures of Netanyahu and the empty slogans of [Defense Minister Avigdor] Liberman and we are sick of the security cabinet letting politics interfere with our security.”
Zionist Union MK Eitan Cabel made note of Netanyahu’s statement to a heckler in Kiryat Shmona that she was “boring” by saying that he hoped the situation in the South would “stop boring the prime minister and make him take action to stop Hamas from dictating the every-day life of Israeli citizens.”
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said that if the situation in the Gaza Strip develops into an all-out war, it should be named after Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, because he strangled Gaza and pushed Hamas to open fire.
Likud MK Anat Berko, who is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the Hamas leaders should seek shelter rather than Israelis and “the time has come for towers in Gaza to fall.”
Bayit Yehudi faction head Shuli Moallem-Refaeli said the time had come to deal Hamas leaders a harsh blow and restore Israeli security and deterrence.
“Israel does not want war but must do everything to protect its borders and its citizens,” she said.