November 29, 2009

Former Meretz leader Shulamit Aloni told Ynet on her 81st birthday Sunday that she was dissatisfied with the condition of the State of Israel.

"It's hard for me to say a kind word about the state today," she said. "We are in great distress morally and socially, as well as in the realms of politics and law."

Aloni specified by saying that she was disappointed with the right-wing government doing most of the Left's work, and gave an example of the recent decision to freeze construction in settlements for 10 months.

"The Right has two left hands, but the Left doesn't even exist today," she said

She also condemned those opposed to a prisoner swap deal for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.

"No one should be speaking this nonsense about 'blood on the hands'. Since 2000, with the launching of the second intifada, we have murdered thousands. We too have blood on our hands," she remarked.

"We need to release those demanded (by Hamas) immediately," she went on. "After we release them, Israel can keep tabs on them."

Aloni also lashed out at settlers who torch Palestinian olive groves in the West Bank. "It is against all morals, and even the halacha," she said. "The halacha says: Thou shalt not destroy fruit-bearing trees."

The former prominent politician added, "We are a nefarious people. What we are doing in the West Bank is worse than all the pogroms done to the Jews." But she qualified her statement by saying she was "not referring to the Nazis, but the Cossacks".

Aloni also condemned Israel for its attitude towards the Obama administration. "They give us support, weapons, and donations," she said.

"The US administration does not want to say how it perceives us, but we are lucky there is such a large Jewish lobby there that maintains support for us. Everyone wants to come out all right with the Jews because no one wants to be accused of anti-Semitism."

Aloni added criticism of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, calling him "the most dangerous man" and "pompous". However she had a kind word for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "He still thinks over things sometimes," she said.