In Sunday’s cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu rebuffed criticism from his predecessor, Ehud Olmert, who accused Netanyahu of spending NIS 11 billion on preparations for a strike on Iran that never materialized.
“This weekend,” he said, “somebody criticized my government over the investments we made in security. Indeed, in contrast to governments that invested billions in the disengagement, we invested billions in building up our strength so as to ensure the security of Israel’s citizens.
“We will continue to invest in Iron Dome, which stopped the missiles; in the security fence in the south, which stopped the infiltrators; in cyber-security and in the offensive and defensive capabilities of the IDF, Mossad and ISA. It is no coincidence the security situation in the country is the best it has been in years and this is in the face of the great security upheaval around us and in our region.”
Netanyahu then commended the ministers who had backed important operations to ensure the security of Israel’s citizens.
He added praise for the Israel Police and the IDF for their operation to evacuate the Arab outpost in the area between Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim on Saturday night.