Netanyahu Denies Livni Role in Gaza War

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu denied on Thursday his former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni’s claim that she mediated for him in Washington during Operation Protective Edge.

Livni told a Tel Aviv economics conference on Wednesday that “my position and my ability to wield influence on the international community is known by Netanyahu as well, because he is the one who called me and asked me to come and speak with [Secretary of State John] Kerry — to prevent us from having to accept the Qatari truce draft and also to enable a ground operation into Gaza.”

Netanyahu says no such thing occurred. According to sources close to the prime minister quoted by Army Radio on Thursday, Livni’s contacts with Washington were inconsequential.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke dozens of times with international leaders, including President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry, on a daily basis,” they said.

The sources added: “In these conversations the prime minister worked to get international legitimacy for the IDF’s actions against Hamas and to reject the Qatari proposal.”

As for Livni: “One day, when the protocols of the conversations are made public, it will become clear to what degree the prime minister’s role was vital and that Livni’s conversations did nothing.”

This article appeared in print on page 7 of the December 26th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.