ROME (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2018) The Palestinian National Authority fears that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will become more hostile toward Palestinians in order to secure re-election at the possible snap vote that might be held in the light of the recent resignation of Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki told Sputnik.
Lieberman stepped down in mid-November over disagreements with other cabinet members on the truce with Gaza militants. The official also withdrew his party from the ruling coalition with Netanyahu's party, prompting concerns that the situation might trigger early elections.
"[There is] our fear that in the eve of potential elections in Israel, Netanyahu, in order for him to be re-elected, he will try to show his ugly face against the Palestinians especially in Gaza by becoming very aggressive; [Netanyahu will] be renewing his assassination attempts against Hamas leaders and against certain targets within Gaza by devastating huge part of existing infrastructure in order to show that he is more willing to do than what Liberman even [did] and, as a result, he deserves to be re-elected in the next elections," Maliki said on the sidelines of the Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) forum in Rome.
"I do expect now that whoever will come [for the defense minister position], especially if Netanyahu will take over the defense portfolio, he tries to show that he is more aggressive in dealing with Gaza than his predecessor ... My fear is that right now this atmosphere of potential early elections in Israel will be [at] our expense," the diplomat suggested.
When asked, if Palestinians were interested in Israelis electing another prime minister instead of Netanyahu, Maliki said there was no difference "between Netanyahu No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3" as none of Israeli officials recognized the Palestinians' right to have their own state.
