Former Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who was booted out of the party by former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, feels his old boss is not suited to serve a second term. Ayalon feels that Lieberman may be better suited to serve as finance minister, explaining he did not earn the support of the international community and as such, he failed as foreign minister, the daily Yated Neeman reports.

Ayalon explained that while in office he stood behind the minister, expressing support for his policies, but now, after four years, the results are evident and he should be assigned another post due to his failures. “Lieberman pressured me and tried to have ill suited individuals appointed to a number of positions. I managed to run interference and I persuaded Lieberman that the appointments were inappropriate.”

When asked to comment on his dismissal from the party, Ayalon explains that his dismissal was not based on professional considerations and of this he is certain, confident that his performance in the deputy ministerial was not the issue.

Ayalon will be testifying in Lieberman’s corruption trial for the prosecution regarding allegations his former boss used the weight of his office to advance the career of former Ambassador Ze’ev Ben-Aryeh.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)