Top cabinet members oppose Turkey reconciliation agreement
June 27, 2016A reconciliation agreement reached between Turkey and Israel on Monday that includes a $20 million Israeli compensation package for pro-Hamas Turkish citizens killed in 2010 is expected to face opposition in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s cabinet later this week.
The agreement, which is set to be signed on Tuesday, will likely be brought to the cabinet for ratification on Wednesday.
But some senior cabinet members have already signaled their intention to vote against the deal, with Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) telling supporters during a faction meeting that he would maintain his opposition to reconciliation with Turkey.
“I don’t see any reason to go back on my opposition to the agreement,” Channel 2 reported the Yisrael Beytenu chief as having told party members. “The compensation [package] has serious implications.”
Liberman pledged, however, not to politicize the vote.
“I won’t make a campaign [issue] out of this, just as I did not do with the Shalit deal, despite my well-known position on that.”
Speaking on Monday with the families of the fallen soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, whose bodies have been held by Hamas since 2014, Liberman again emphasized that his position on the agreement with Turkey had not changed.
A second senior cabinet member, Yediot Ahronot reported, blasted the reconciliation agreement as a “disgrace”.
“This is a disgraceful process; the Prime Minister is bringing us a fait accompli. He’s turning us into a rubber stamp.”
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) refused to comment on the agreement, insisting that she would reserve judgement until she had the opportunity to view the deal in its final form.
“We’ll address the matter only when we’ve seen the details. Everything I’ll have to say about the agreement I’ll say in the cabinet, whether in favor or against it.”
Similar posts
-
Israel Is Held To A Higher Standard Than Any Country
April 25, 2024In the intricate tapestry of global affairs, one nation stands out for enduring scrutiny and condem...
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...