Netanyahu criticized efforts by political party leaders
opposed to his policies on the peace process to unite or agree on a joint
strategy ahead of Jan. 22 national elections.
“There’s no doubt that the left-wing parties will try to
unite either before or right after the election, and they will have one goal,
to bring down my government,” Netanyahu said in an interview on Israel Radio
today.
"This happens again and again," the prime minister
said. "They are trying to bring down my government. They will do anything
to topple me."
"The Left is organizing itself to bring me down. They
want to have a left-wing bloc that will prevent me from forming a coalition.
What happened on television over the weekend threw into relief the real choice
that exists here, between right and left-wing parties, and not between the
Right and left-center parties.
"We're dealing with real issues. It's not child's play.
The tremendous challenges that I see around me, the huge security shake-up:
Syria, Iran's nuclear program and Hamas. We are confronting all these
situations, not to mention the global economic crisis, which is not over.”
Netanyhau urged voters to vote for the Likud party and not
smaller sectoral parties.
"In order to deal with these challenges I need a large
and strong party behind me,” Netanyahu said. “This is what gives me political
stability. Big things that need to be done have never been done by small
parties. We need a big governing party."
Labor leader Shelly Yechimovich criticized Netanyahu's comments,
saying the prime minister failed to provide "a vision, hope or plans for
the future," instead, these comments "only deal with intimidation and
political considerations."
"It is obvious that this is a panicked reaction to the
fact the Labor party re-started the election campaign last week, and that it is
now a clear and distinct alternative to the voters," Yechimovich added.
The Tzipi Linvi Party also accused Netanyahu of using,
saying the prime minister's "smugness transformed into stress."
"With the real threats that we are faced, Israel needs
an initiating and level-headed leadership, and not a stressed leadership that
makes decisions with a glass of liquor and cigars," the party said in a
statement.
