IN PICTURES / Did Netanyahu risk his life for a photo op?
The prime minister slipped and just missed falling into the water during a visit to a naval base Tuesday.
By Yossi Melman and Anshel Pfeffer Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu Israel newsPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slipped and just missed falling into the water during a visit to a naval base Tuesday; the premier made the visit to play up the Israel Defense Forces' capture two weeks ago of a ship containing weapons destined for Hezbollah. Netanyahu went to the base to thank personally the units that captured the ship.
(Images: Pavel Wolberg / Reuters)At first, the prime minister boarded Navy gunship Eilat, where he spoke with the crew. He was then to meet with a naval commando unit. To do so, he used a ladder to go from the gunship to a rubber boat. He was joined by the IDF chief of staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, and the head of the Israel Navy, Eli Marom.
While climbing down the ladder, Netanyahu, who was wearing heavy body armor, almost lost his balance. A naval commando standing next to him caught him and held onto him so he did not fall into the water.
Navy sources said Tuesday that at no time was Netanyahu in any danger; the sea was calm and the move from the gunship to the rubber boat was a simple one.
After the incident began to make headlines, Netanyahu's office quickly contacted the media to say the prime minister had "merely stumbled" and that he was in good health. His spokespeople denied that he was suffering from seasickness.
The IDF Spokesman's Office declined to comment on the matter.
Tuesday's incident recalls one 40 years ago, when Netanyahu was a member of the IDF's elite Sayeret Matkal reconnaissance unit, which had gone on an intelligence mission in Egypt. The unit was taken through the Suez Canal by naval commandos. The Egyptians opened fire, and Netanyahu fell into the water while trying to dodge the bullets.
He was wearing gear that weighed several dozen kilograms, from which he failed to extricate himself. Another soldier on the team, Amatzia Ben-Haim of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, came to the rescue, pulling Netanyahu back into the boat.
Netanyahu never forgot the favor and mentioned the incident to Ben-Haim several times over the years. Ben-Haim was stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist in the 1990s while repairing a glitch in a Yad Mordechai computer in a greenhouse in Moshav Ganei Tal in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu, by then Likud's leader, delivered the eulogy.
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There was a big fish, "dag gadol," waiting to swallow Bibi.
How can the Haganah fighting for land for a people be called freedom fighters and yet any attack by a Palestinian is always terrorism? Bizarre Logic...
Esther's "legend" as a Jewish chick in TA is a bit frayed. Three weeks ago, she displayed no knowledge of who Bar Refaeli is, suggesting the male model on the billboard could be her husband. Today, she seems to know nothing about her prime Minister. When you look at her collection of subtle and not so subtle anti Israeli posts, her credentials as a modern day Tokyo Rose should be obvious.
The only thing mission is a banner with "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED". President Bush was critizied for a photo op that too involved a head of state taking unnecessary risk.
Ben-Haim, a land thief, occupier, illegal settler, was stabbed by a Palestinian "terrorist". HELLLOOOOOO!
In general there is no danger involved just going from a rubber boat - a weapons ship even if he was wearing body armor. The photograph also clearly shows that along with his body armor he was wearing a life jacket. So the man nearly slipped its still not undertaking a potentially life threatening operation boarding the boat. Worst that can happen is he goes for a swim before his photograph was plastered all over the international media. ISRAELS PRIME MINISTER FALLS INTO THE WATER WHILE TRYING TO BOARD A WEAPONS SHIP I wonder if Goldstone would say Iran committed war crimes because they sent this ship knowing Bibi would board it and fall into the water humiliated.
anyone that is living on a solid ground will find walking from boat to boat a challenge. to me it seems (and I am a professional photographer of 35 years) by looking carefully at the photos, that he already concluded the pass to the rubber boat safely, and the rubber boat sway had caused the loss of ballance, NOT A SLIP and nowhere near the water...so Haaretz is again at it....
but seeing those pictures make me think that with some bad luck he could have wound up hitting his head on metal.
he was in the same unit as his brother, which is probably the most elite unit in the world..idiots...
Furthermore, him being more than a little astute, I bet the prime minister already had that base covered. (And speaking of "astute," one of the most beloved of all latin TV characters was a super-hero "send-up" called Chapulin Colorado (Red Grasshopper) who, after managing to extricate himself from a sticky situation, would invariably strike an heroic pose and announce triumphantly: "They failed to count on my astuteness!")
Metanyahu & the Sea ! It was a clear case of sea-sickness !? Now watch what high praises he'll have for the boys @ sea. !
no need to pollute the water.