Political arena united in uproar over Netanyahu's choice of soon to be ex-Likud minister as chairman of Israel Land Administration. Labor dubs it 'pathetic'
An honest bid or an underhanded ploy? Party leaders from across the political spectrum accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a last-minute elections spin following his announcement that soon to be former-Likud minister Moshe Kahlon will be named as chairman of the Israel Land Administration (ILA).
On Monday, Labor Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich called the appointment "pathetic and improper," adding that "The truth bothers the prime minister and the Likud is panicked."
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"This is intolerable. The prime minister should not remain in office. This (appointment) is against the law and contrary to the Attorney General's memorandum regarding appointments during elections," she added.
"What was Netanyahu thinking? That a fictitious appointment will cause Israelis to forget that housing prices have risen by 48% and vote for him?"
Central Elections Committee Judge Elyakim Rubinstein barred the airing of Netanyahu's press conference on Sunday, in which he announced the appointment, saying that it constituted elections propaganda in the media, which is illegal so close to the elections.
The Yesh Atidparty, which was behind the bid to bar Netanyahu's press conference's from airing, said that "Netanyahu is again preferring gimmicks to detailed solutions to the Israeli middle-class' problems."
Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz slammed the announcement's timing and called it "a spin designed to halt Likud-Beiteinu's drop in the polls of ."
Mofaz added: "Kahlon is a capable and experienced man. Had he been appointed a day after the elections, and not a day before, it would have been possible to trust the judgment and considerations behind the appointment."
Hatnua Chairwoman Tzipi Livni said the press conference was "Merely an elections ploy, designed to halt the Likud's drop in the polls."
In addition to the appointment's announcement, the Likud said that the ILA will be transferred from the Housing and Construction Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office.
The Minister of Housing and Construction and current ILA Chairman Ariel Atias of Shas was furious and said that "Netanyahu asks Kahlon to lower the housing prices, a move he was strictly opposed to when I proposed it."
By Boaz Fyler, Shiri Hadar
