Right- and left-wing MKs pan Netanyahu’s speech

Knesset members from both right-wing and left-wing parties criticize Netanyahu after his speech, arguing that the Israeli leader failed to live up to the promises he made and is increasingly losing the public trust.

Opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Labor) calls the prime minister’s speech “pathetic” and says Netanyahu let down the Israeli citizens in general, and the residents of Gaza border towns in particular.

Herzog issues a threat to replace the current coalition.

“The army won, but the government failed, and we will make efforts to replace it, to demonstrate political determination while maintaining Israel’s security and striving for peace,” he says.

MK Zahava Gal-on of the left-wing Meretz party says: “Prime Minister Netanyahu promised the disarmament of the Strip from weapons, the dismantling of Hamas infrastructure and long-term deterrence and quiet for the southern residents. None of those promises were implemented.”

She argues that if the prime minister deals only with Hamas, and does not boost the standing of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, “we will be witness to, God forbid, additional rounds of violence in a year to two years.”

Meanwhile, Likud MK Danny Danon, who was fired by the prime minister from his position of deputy defense minister during the operation, says: “The goal of the operation was to restore the sense of security for the residents of the south, and the fact is that today, there is no sense of security for the residents of the south.”

“The government ignored the demands of the people to topple Hamas and operated hesitantly,” he writes in a Facebook post.