Opposition stops Knesset dispersal vote after Gaza Strip escalation

Yesh Atid and Meretz postponed a vote on a bill to disperse the Knesset and politicians canceled their schedules and headed to the South to make political statements about the rockets fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

Yesh Atid also delayed debate and a vote on its surrogacy bill for gay men.

Politicians from across the political spectrum condemned the violence and showed solidarity with the residents. While politicians on the Right blamed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, those on the Left said the missile attacks proved that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is no longer “Mr. Security.”

“We are sick of the government that strengthens Hamas,” Zionist Union leader Avi Gabbay said. “We are sick of the government permitting Hamas to ruin the lives of citizens of the South. We are sick of the security failures of Netanyahu and the empty slogans of [Defense Minister Avigdor] Liberman, and we are sick of the security cabinet letting politics interfere with our security.”

Zionist Union MK Eitan Cabel made note of Netanyahu’s statement to a heckler in Kiryat Shmona that she was “boring” by saying he hoped the situation in the South would “stop boring the prime minister and make him take action to stop Hamas from dictating the everyday life of Israeli citizens.”

Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said that if the situation in the Gaza Strip develops into an all-out war, it should be named after Abbas, because he strangled Gaza and pushed Hamas to open fire.

Likud MK Anat Berko, who is a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the Hamas leaders should seek shelter rather than Israelis and “the time has come for towers in Gaza to fall.”

Bayit Yehudi faction head Shuli Moalem-Refaeli said the time had come to deal Hamas leaders a harsh blow and restore Israeli security and deterrence.

“Israel does not want war but must do everything to protect its borders and its citizens,” she said.