’Israeli’ PM under Fire after Proposing Lieberman to Head Military Portfolio

Local Editor

"Israeli" PM Benjamin Netanyahu asked former "Israeli" FM Avigdor Lieberman to become the entity's war minister. The looming appointment has been met with outcry, with the opposition saying it would result in a policy "on a brink of madness."

Lieberman served as the "Israeli" entity so-called foreign minister from 2009 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2015. He currently chairs a right-wing "Yisrael Beiteinu" party and is known for his controversial proposals. For example, Lieberman wants to "cut off heads" of 1948 Arabs not "loyal" to the "Israeli" entity, bomb Egypt's Aswan dam, and offer "Israeli" towns with large Arab populations to the future Palestinian state in exchange for "Israeli" settlements in the occupied West Bank, which would then become part of the "Israeli" entity.

Speculation on his new role in Netanyahu's cabinet arose after consultations between Lieberman and the "Israeli" primer on Wednesday. Netanyahu, who is the leader of the center-right Likud party, is eying to cement his current coalition's shaky position, as it holds a majority of one in the "Israeli" parliament.

The possible appointment, which is expected to be decided by the weekend, has prompted a storm of criticism from the "Israeli" opposition and Palestinian politicians, who anticipate an even more hostile military policy under Lieberman, who himself lives in the "Israeli"-occupied West Bank.

Isaac Herzog, the leader of the center-left Zionist Union, which had been expected to enter into coalition with Likud before Netanyahu's sudden U-turn in favor of Lieberman, said that if the "Israeli" hawk joins the government, it will result in a policy "on a brink of madness." He believes that choosing such a radical figure as head of the war ministry would mean that the entity is preparing to "embark on a journey of war and funerals," as cited by Guardian.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a statement slamming the upcoming government reshuffle as "fresh proof there is no real peace partner in "Israel"," while calling Lieberman "an extremist," according to Haaretz.

With his appointment, the "Israeli" apartheid entity would send a "message to the world that "Israel" prefers extremism, the occupation and settlements to a peace accord," the statement reads.

An unnamed Palestinian official told the paper that appointing such an outspoken anti-Palestinian politician known for pro-settlement views to head "Israel's" war ministry would actually serve as "proof to the international community that the emerging government, including the one leading it, isn't interested at all in an agreement [with Palestine]."

The "Israeli" military establishment also appears to be less than enthusiastic about the prospect of having a defense chief with fewer qualifications than outgoing war minister Moshe Ya'alon, who has vast combat experience.

While not naming Lieberman or Netanyahu, Ya'alon lashed out at his critics in a Tel Aviv speech on Thursday, accusing certain political forces of carrying out a "full volume attack [on] our basic values."

"Our moral compass for basic questions has been lost," Ya'alon told "Israeli" settlers at the army's Tel Aviv headquarters, as cited by The Times of "Israel".

Former war minister Moshe Arens said in a radio interview that it's unlikely that Lieberman will ever be able to fill Ya'alon's shoes.

"I hope Lieberman lives to 120, but I think that even if he does, he will not gain the prowess, knowledge and experience that Ya'alon has," he said, as cited by Reuters. "These kinds of chances should not be taken."

The controversial decision to appoint Lieberman to the post of war chief was preceded by a row between Netanyahu and Ya'alon, who backed the prosecution of Elor Azaria, an "Israeli" soldier who murdered an unarmed Palestinian back in March. In contrast, Netanyahu personally expressed support for the family of the soldier, who is now on trial for manslaughter.

The rift deepened after Ya'alon backed Major General Yair Golan, who drew parallels between tendencies in Nazi Germany and present day "Israel" in a speech devoted to Holocaust Remembrance Day.

While Netanyahu's office said that the "Israeli" forces' general "was mistaken in his comments and it would be good if he fixed them," Ya'alon stood by Golan, saying that he was a "valued commander, driven by values and many accomplishments," and that "the attacks on him [were] due to intentional, distorted interpretations of something he said."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team