According to a Yisrael Hayom report, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu decided to punish Deputy Foreign Minister (Likud) Ze’ev Elkin after the he embarrassed the prime minister with his recent statements and quotes regarding the prime minister’s policy. Elkin’s seat on the flight to the UN General Assembly was given to another party minister as Elkin will be heading to New York City on a regular El Al flight leaving Eretz Yisrael after Shabbos.

The report cites a number of issues as the cause for the prime minister’s actions. Elkin was among dozens of MKs who signed a petition calling for rethinking the planned release of additional Arab terrorists following the two fatal terror attacks this week that claimed the lives of two IDF soldiers. As part of the deal with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) for agreeing to resume talks with Israel, Israel is committed to the incremental release of Arab terrorists from prison.

Making things worse for the prime minister, Elkin quoted a speech he gave some 11 years ago in which the prime minister was referring to the PA (Palestinian Authority) dream of a Palestinian state. He stated “they will enjoy all rights except for the right to annihilate Israel.” In that same address the prime minister was quoted as saying the PA will receive autonomous self rule but he would not support a Palestinian state, a position that he has abandoned a long time ago.

Hardliners in the party this week have been feeding the media, with Elkin being among them, explaining the prime minister’s newly found willingness to accept a Palestinian state negates the position of the Likud Central Committee, the close to 3,000 strong governing body of the party that sets policy. It would appear that Elkin’s statements this week, simply telling the truth, were too much for the prime minister who decided to teach his deputy foreign minister a lesson.

Bottom line is the prime minister is betraying his party, the party’s ideology, and his promises to voters. The result ,take it out on the deputy minister.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)