Likud: Mofaz criticism of Netanyahu is hypocritical

Mofaz attacked PM for keeping information from FADC but he himself hid information when he was defense minister, says party spokeswoman.

By LAHAV HARKOV
mofaz 248.88 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimksi [file])
mofaz 248.88
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimksi [file])
The Likud accused Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Shaul Mofaz of hypocrisy on Monday night, shortly after Mofaz said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak prevented the committee from supervising the executive branch of government.
“Mofaz attacked the prime minister and defense minister for preventing information from being given to Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee members,” a Likud spokeswoman said. “But he himself hid substantial information from committee members when he was defense minister.”
The Likud sent articles from the Hebrew-language press to reporters about a January 2006 committee meeting, in which Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud), then the committee’s chairman, said Mofaz “tricked and lied to the public and the Knesset.”
Mofaz had previously told the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that an agreement had been signed with the Palestinians concerning the Rafah crossing, when, in fact, only an unsigned draft was sent to the US.
Meretz and Labor MKs were also quoted calling for Mofaz to resign and saying his behavior “is dangerous and problematic, to say the least.”
“Mofaz is so worried about his primary against [Kadima leader] Tzipi Livni that he forgot his own words, that ‘matters of security should not be used for political purposes,’” the Likud spokeswoman said.
On Sunday, Mofaz slammed Netanyahu and Barak for preventing a Shin Bet representative and OC Military Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi from testifying before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
“There is no reason connected to security not to testify, and this decision was made from other considerations, which prevent the committee from fulfilling its duty to the public,” Mofaz said. “The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will not allow the developing trend to continue.”