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Last update - 01:20 22/12/2008 Ben-Eliezer rejects claim Barak is soft on rocket fire By Mazal Mualem National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer is rallying to the side of Defense Minister Ehud Barak in the face of accusations the Labor leader is not doing enough to quell rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. "The matter of Gaza and security affairs in general must not be part of election spin," said the Labor Party's Ben-Eliezer, a former defense minister. "The ministers need to show responsibility and leave these issues out of the election campaign. Advertisement Ben-Eliezer targeted one of his party leader's main rivals, Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni. "The one who particularly surprises me is Tzipi Livni, who until two days ago everyone saw as the leader of the left, the one who's going to resolve complicated political processes, and suddenly without warning she veered right and is now talking about destroying Hamas," said Ben-Eliezer. "These comments, which are affected by the [upcoming general] election, cause massive damage and weaken the State of Israel." Livni, the foreign minister, said yesterday she would work to end Hamas' rule in Gaza if elected prime minister in February. "Rockets are being fired on Gaza towns," Livni told a Kadima parliamentary faction meeting. "Israel needs to topple the Hamas government in Gaza, and a government led by me would do so." On the other side of the spectrum, Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Livni and the rest of the Kadima ministers for failing to take action to keep Palestinian militants from attacking southern Israel. "The residents are paying a heavy price for the mistake by Livni and Kadima ministers, who are shirking responsibility," Netanyahu said yesterday during a trip to the rocket-weary southern town of Sderot, where he visited a house damaged by a Qassam rocket. "But they are the ones responsible for the unilateral disengagement that led to the strengthening of terror from the Gaza Strip. For three years the Kadima ministers have been sitting and doing nothing, and burying their heads in the sand. The time has come to change that." All the same, Netanyahu and Livni made similar statements yesterday about overthrowing Hamas. "In the long term, there will be no choice but to topple the Hamas government," Netanyahu said. He added that it was time to take action, and that Israel would have to choose from options including reoccupying the Strip. Kadima was quick to accuse Netanyahu of having a "weak memory" regarding his role in the disengagement. "We all remember his support for the disengagement, his hesitation and his policy of all talk, which characterize him," a Kadima official said. "A government led by Tzipi Livni would topple Hamas and offer real hope to the citizens of Israel." Livni is due to meet with Kadima's security forum - including ministers Shaul Mofaz and Avi Dichter, and members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee - at her office in Tel Aviv today to discuss the situation in Gaza. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Can war be avoided? Can Israel accept Hamas rule, and ease, rather than tighten its chokehold on Gaza? Latke eating champ Body builder eats 46 latkes in 8 minutes to win N.Y. Hanukkah contest and set a new record.

Read & React Bradley Burston: Can the First Gaza War be stopped before it starts? Responses: 184 Strikes on Negev drop as Hamas holds 24-hour truce Responses: 162 Damascus: Talks with Israel only after U.S., Israeli elections Responses: 35 B'Tselem: 58% of Ofra settlement built on Palestinian land Responses: 81 More Headlines 01:30 Olmert to Turkish PM: We must advance toward direct Israel-Syria talks 23:59 Mubarak extends rare invite to Livni for talks on Gaza violence 23:50 U.S. warns Russia against sale of advanced missiles to Iran 00:03 Fight against settlements not about boycotting Israel, says U.K. envoy 00:38 Strikes on Negev drop as Hamas holds 24-hour truce 00:44 Renowned author Amos Oz lays into Barak for 'letting settlers wreak havoc' 22:49 YouTube allows Web users to interview Israel's future prime minister 21:19 Can the First Gaza War be stopped before it starts? 20:20 Trial begins in Yemen over murder of local Jew 19:52 Israel's main TV channels bump political ads from primetime 17:40 Livni, on her home life: We're a completely normal family 15:23 Man eats 46 latkes in 8 minutes to win N.Y. Hanukkah contest 14:39 World Bank: New crossings for Palestinian goods may hurt exports 17:31 ANALYSIS / Israel must choose between bad and worse Gaza options 07:43 2008 marks record-breaking year for returning Israeli citizens Previous Editions Select Day 22 dec 21 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec 15 dec 14 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec

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