(Jpost).Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu summoned Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Wednesday to an urgent meeting following a report that Ya'alon spoke at an event on Sunday organized by Netanyahu's fiercest critic in the Likud, Moshe Feiglin. Netanyahu will meet with Ya'alon Thursday night, immediately upon the prime minister's return from his family vacation.
Sources close to Netanyahu said he was very upset with Ya'alon's criticism of US President Barack Obama and Ya'alon's visit to unauthorized West Bank outposts on Monday and he felt the matter had to be dealt with immediately.
They said the prime minister was "annoyed" about a series of events indicating pressure from the Right ahead of his key meeting with Obama envoy George Mitchell next week in London.
Netanyahu's office sent a beeper message to reporters announcing that he summoned Ya'alon 45 minutes after the Channel 2 report aired. A source close to Netanyahu said the prime minister "merely responded because the story was picking up steam."
Ya'alon's spokesman declined to comment about the summons, but he downplayed the importance of the speech to Manhigut Yehudit."He meets with Likud activists all over the country," the spokesman said. "He knew the speech was being taped. His views are clear, he wrote them in his book, and he stands by them."
Sources close to Netanyahu said he was very upset with Ya'alon's criticism of US President Barack Obama and Ya'alon's visit to unauthorized West Bank outposts on Monday and he felt the matter had to be dealt with immediately.
They said the prime minister was "annoyed" about a series of events indicating pressure from the Right ahead of his key meeting with Obama envoy George Mitchell next week in London.
Netanyahu's office sent a beeper message to reporters announcing that he summoned Ya'alon 45 minutes after the Channel 2 report aired. A source close to Netanyahu said the prime minister "merely responded because the story was picking up steam."
Ya'alon's spokesman declined to comment about the summons, but he downplayed the importance of the speech to Manhigut Yehudit."He meets with Likud activists all over the country," the spokesman said. "He knew the speech was being taped. His views are clear, he wrote them in his book, and he stands by them."