NETANYAHU KICKS CRITIC OFF FLIGHT TO NEW YORK

Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin has been highly critical of Netanyahu’s agreement to renew ‘peace’ talks with the Palestinians and wants to stop any further prison releases of terrorists. Elkin recalls Netanyahu’s words 11 years ago: “The Palestinians should enjoy full rights, except for one right: the right to destroy the State of Israel. An independent government, yes. A state, no.”

GROUNDED: NETANYAHU TELLS ELKIN TO MAKE HIS OWN WAY TO U.N.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week punished his Likud colleague Deputy Foreign Minister MK Zeev Elkin, cancelling the latter's seat on board the premier's flight to the United Nations in New York next week • Elkin will take commercial flight

By Shlomo Cesana

Israel Hayom
September 25, 2013

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week punished his Likud colleague Deputy Foreign Minister MK Zeev Elkin, cancelling the latter's seat on board the premier's flight to the United Nations in New York next week.

Instead, Elkin will take a commercial flight to the United States, with Homefront Defense Minister Gilad Erdan taking his place alongside the prime minister.

Netanyahu is speaking at the U.N. General Assembly next week. He decided to bump Elkin after the deputy foreign minister made comments critical of the prime minister during a recent Likud party event, and because Elkin joined other deputy defense ministers signing a letter calling to halt the release of Palestinian terrorist prisoners as part of the negotiations process.

Elkin, who lives beyond the Green Line, is an increasingly vociferous and public opponent of the two-state solution and the peace talks with the Palestinians, talks his party boss has committed to.

"Eleven years ago, at the center of the Likud party stood the question of whether we should allow the establishment of a Palestinian state. The individual who led that discussion is today prime minister. [Netanyahu] said, during that central and well-known meeting, things that are still true to today. The Palestinians should enjoy full rights, except for one right: the right to destroy the State of Israel. An independent government, yes. A state, no. Such prophetic words have been totally fulfilled," said Elkin.

Elkin is not the only right-wing Likud MK as of late to criticize the prime minister for supporting renewed peace talks with the Palestinians. Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said the prime minister would have "no place in Likud" should he sign a peace deal with the Palestinians.