Netanyahu slams Liberman for revealing Israeli-militia ties, calls it a harmful security leak driven by political motives
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday addressed the revelation by Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman regarding Israel’s cooperation with militias in the Gaza Strip, which are fighting Hamas.
According to Netanyahu, Liberman’s exposé was a security leak for political gain. Netanyahu blasted Liberman, stating: “It is a very severe occurence because what did Liberman leak? That, per the recommendation of defense officials, we worked with clans (Hamoulot in Arabic) that oppose Hamas. What’s wrong with that? That’s good, it saves the lives of soldiers.”
The Prime Minister added that the publication of the cooperation is damaging: “This publication only helps Hamas, but Liberman doesn’t care.” Asked if the leak will be investigated, Netanyahu answered: “I don’t think so, unfortunately it won’t be. There is deep and severe selective enforcement.”
Netanyahu claimed that Liberman’s leak is totally different from the leak of classified information by his staffers to the German Bild newspaper, because that did not damage Israeli security. “It didn’t harm (security) at all. It only exposed Hamas’s goals and methods. But that leak will be investigated, and people were arrested, and so on – when it suits them. On the other hand, a leak from our subcommittee, I don’t think that will be investigated.”
