Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's address Monday at the UN General Assembly drew criticism in Israel for being void of any real content and overall squandering the opportunity to state Israel's case in the UN, especially with respect to the Iranian threat.
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Former PM Benjamin "Netanyahu's addresses in the UN made waves internationally and pushed Israel's interests front and center. Bennett squandered empty words in front of an empty [UNGA] hall rather than make the most of this important global stage," the Likud said in a statement on Monday.
Bennett "spoke about success in the struggle against coronavirus while taking Israel from the first place [in battling the pandemic] to which Prime Minister Netanyahu brought us, to one of the last places in the war on coronavirus. Under Bennett, the next-to-nothing morbidity three months ago has reached new highs and 1,300 people have died an unnecessary death – in a vaccinated country in a vaccinated world," the part lashed.
"This disaster happened because Bennett was almost two months late in bringing millions of vaccines necessary for the third shot – vaccines that Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered and paid for, vaccines that were waiting in storage in Europe instead of being flown to Israel on time.
"He [Bennett] is also taking no action to curb morbidity, and calls it 'leadership.' What leadership? This is a joke."
For PM Bennett's full address before the UN General Assembly click here
Bennett, the Likud continued, "Talks about the need for unity while setting Israelis against each other. Besides, since when does an Israeli prime minister raise domestic political issues to the top of the agenda on an international stage?
"His remarks about Iran were also hollow. After promising not to wage a global struggle against the nuclear deal and subjecting our [Israel's] operational activities to coordination with the Americans, Bennett relented on fundamental issues in fighting Iran's nuclear program – something that Netanyahu never agreed to do. On this, it is said: empty words and hollow promises. Just as he lied to his constituency.
"Bennett demonstrated today [Monday] how the world sees an inexperienced Israeli politician who has only six seats: much like a tree no one sees falling in a forest, no one has heard and no one cares about him."
Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich called Bennett's address "boring," saying it was "full of empty words, hollow statements, and meaningless clichés. The truth is he can't say anything because nothing can be said. His polarized, hybrid government cannot agree on a policy regarding any of the critical issues."
Joint Arab List MK Aida Touma-Sliman also criticized the prime minister, saying,
"Bennett proved at the UN that he and his government are Netanyahu's successors. The disappearance of the occupation and the existence of the Palestinian people, claims of Israel's moral superiority, and war-mongering vis-à-vis with Iran – these are the principles that guided Netanyahu's right-wing government. The direction of the right path will bring peace and security to both peoples. "
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