Livni to A-G: Finish PM’s probe before election

Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit must complete his criminal investigations of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the next general election takes place, opposition leader Tzipi Livni said Saturday at a cultural event in Holon.

The Knesset will return from its holiday recess October 15 and may disband soon after that for an expedited election. Livni’s statement was the first by a leading figure in the opposition indicating Netanyahu’s opponents would prefer that his current term last longer in hopes the criminal probes will end his political career.

“Put everything else aside and finish up the probes before the election,” said Livni. “Let us get to the election when we know the truth about what happened and Netanyahu’s office and what was done by him and his associates. I want all these things to be clear before the election. The wheels of justice need to turn faster.”

Livni said there are two steps that had to be taken soon on behalf of future generations: Defeating Netanyahu democratically and separating from the Palestinians.

She spoke after Likud politicians said over the weekend that criticism of Netanyahu was worse than the incitement against the late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin ahead of assassination.

“Enough whining,” she said. “Currently, those who [are] continually calling people traitors, collaborators with the enemy and Palestinian sympathizers are in the Israeli government led by the prime minister.

“As the opposition leader, I have an obligation to criticize the government and I believe this is necessary for our future.”

Livni called on former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz and “anyone who is contemplating entering politics,” to join the Zionist Union and provide an alternative to Netanyahu.

She warned if her political camp continues to be split among multiple parties, it would be “the mother of all sins.”

She said the public that wants Netanyahu replaced must be given hope, and that it being an emergency could create a new chance for it to happen.

She called upon Netanyahu to meet with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas when they will be in New York later this month for the United Nations General Assembly.

“Instead of making deals with Hamas, he should be meeting with Abbas,” she said.