MK Horowitz blasts ‘mother of all dirty deals,’ Labor says unity government an ‘alliance of cowards’.

Labor Party Chair Shelly Yachomovich: No one will forget this trick. 'In the past few days we've witnessed the most ridiculous zig-zag ever seen in Israeli politics'.
According to her Netanyahu was a "right-wing extremist, a capitalist, an old-school Thatcherite.""And that's what the debate is about – two ideologies: one social-democratic and one capitalistic and violent."



Former Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni commented on the unity deal between on her Facebook page. "This morning I want to tell you one thing: I know exactly how you're feeling after the night's events, but remember there is a different kind of politics and it will prevail," she wrote.

Opposition parties slammed Tuesday’s unity agreement between Likud and Kadima, characterizing it as a “dirty deal” that will gravely undermine the public’s trust in Israel’s political system.


“This is an alliance of cowards and the most ridiculous zigzag in Israel’s political history,” Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich said, referring to Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz’s recent attacks on Netanyahu. Two months ago, Mofaz vowed not to enter the Likud-led government, and in recent days accused Labor of planning to join the coalition.



“Nobody will be forgetting this shady deal, and regrettably it will gravely harm the public’s trust in politics,” the Labor leader said.



Fellow Labor party Knesset Member Isaac Herzog also slammed the unity deal, vowing to lead the opposition in “toppling the alliance of cowards leading the State of Israel.”


“We’ll show the public that a political and ideological alternative exists,” he said.



The Likud-Kadima unity deal is “the mother of all dirty deals,” said Meretz Knesset Member Nitzan Horowitz, who also blasted the agreement.


“Netanyahu formulated a mega-dirty deal; perhaps among the dirtiest in the State of Israel’s history,” he said. “The price is a terrible blow to the public’s trust in the nation’s leadership.”



Meanwhile, some criticism of the deal was also voiced within Likud, with Knesset Member Danny Danon expressing his displeasure with the agreement.


“The move will perpetuate Barak as defense minister for another year and a half while bringing a leftist party called Kadima into the government,” he said. “This will constitute a blow to the settlement enterprise, a blow to Likud’s values, and a blow to the Israeli public, which elected Likud to lead the State of Israel.”



However, most Likud and coalition members endorsed the unity deal, including key government parties Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu. Likud Ministers Gideon Sa’ar and Yuval Steinitz also lauded the move, and particularly the agreement on what they characterized as a “responsible state budget.”




Yachimovich: No one will forget this trick - "Does the truth have no value?" asked Labor Party Chair Shelly Yachimovich at a press conference Tuesday on the decision to cancel early elections and establish a wide unity government.



Yachimovich took the podium after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kadima Party Chairman Shaul Mofaz announced that Kadima would be joining the coalition. "Do you believe a single word they say?" Yachimovich asked.





Yachimovich said that she often spoke about politics with groups all over Israel, and especially enjoyed talking to high school seniors. "I try to show them that politics isn't ugly, that it's a tool to implement a world view. To have democracy, you need a political system and a parliament," Yachimovich said.



"Politics turns ugly only when it becomes opportunistic," she stressed. "Then it becomes contemptible. What can we say now? Does anyone believe anything Mofaz says? It affects us, too, because people can't tell the difference. This is destructive to democracy," she declared.



In addition to Mofaz himself, Yachimovich also had barbs for his party: "This entire term has been a farce of an opposition, and now Kadima is going to pass destructive policy that is totally opposed to the cries we heard last summer."



"The 2013 state budget will be bitter, capitalistic, tough, and will increase the (socioeconomic) gaps in Israel. And the person responsible is the one who declared that he would lead the social struggle. From where? From Netanyahu's office? The dissonance between words and deeds knows no bounds."



Turning to Mofaz, Yachimovich said that, unlike him, she had never called Netanyahu a liar, and that when criticizing him she had always been respectful, despite the strong ideological polarization.



Nevertheless, she said, Netanyahu was a "right-wing extremist, a capitalist, an old-school Thatcherite."

"And that's what the debate is about – two ideologies: one social-democratic and one capitalistic and violent."





http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4226135,00.html



http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4226381,00.html





http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/08/world/meast/israel-politics/index.html?hpt=imi_c2