Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai, who heads the Shas Party, warned of the dangers regarding remarks made by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, head of the Labor Party.

Ahead of the Sunday morning weekly cabinet meeting, Yishai called on Barak to publicly apologize for his reference to the “extremist fringe” as a “cancerous growth”. Such remarks Yishai stated are dangerous and inciteful, as well as unacceptable. Barak made his comments to the annual memorial rally at Rabin Square for Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, who was assassinated 13 years ago.

Barak promised Rabin “we will remove this evil from us”, stating the full hand of the law will be used against those who he accuses of “undermining democracy”.

Barak used the memorial event platform to launch a scathing attack against the right-wing, making his intentions clear, that he will come down hard on those who he deems threaten his way of life.

A short time after Yishai called on Barak to apologize, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert opened the weekly meeting with a special mention marking 70 years since Kristallnacht.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)