Netanyahu government / No sense of democracy in action

First to ascend the dais is Ehud Olmert. He delivers a defensive speech, summing up his tenure as prime minister as well as his political career. “Even if it happened sooner than I had hoped, and under a cloud of circumstances that are well-known, I don’t carry even a trace of bitterness, anger, or complaint,” the outgoing prime minister promises, for starters. No complaining? Is that the Olmert that we knew, or did they bring a double? This suspicion clears fairly soon, however, as Olmert confronts the press in his usual manner, albeit perhaps in subtler tones. “The multitude of slanderers by mouth and pen” apparently gave “a free propaganda trophy to the Hezbollah.” Those who criticized the Gaza war are mere “pen pushers.” To Olmert, everyone else is always wrong.

For full article, visit http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1075351.html

Israel Beiteinu warns it may leave gov’t

Israel Beiteinu on Tuesday denied reports that Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman had agreed that if the latter is charged with any crime and forced to leave the Foreign Ministry, the portfolio would go to the Likud, warning that if that were to happen, the party would leave the government.

For full article, visit http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1238423647847&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull