Netanyahu Rebukes Israeli President
Striking back after being blamed for hindering Mideast peace, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Israeli president Tuesday of siding with Arabs and Israel’s opposition in a ploy to oust the government.
President Ezer Weizman caused a major political incident Monday when he went on national television to blame Netanyahu for the deadlock in peace negotiations with the Palestinians, saying it was time to call early elections.
Netanyahu turned on his accuser Tuesday, saying Weizman had breached the presidential role. “The fact is that the president, to my sorrow, took a stand with the left to actually get rid of the current elected government,” he told Israel TV.
The president, elected by Israel’s parliament, has no authority to determine the date of the next elections. However, Weizman is Israel’s most popular politician, and with his stinging criticism of Netanyahu he lent greater credibility to opposition claims that early elections are the only way to rescue the peace process with the Palestinians.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
