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WORLD NEWS Thursday 10 augusT 2017

Netanyahu rips media, opposition in face of corruption case

By AMI BEN TOV right-wing Israeli govern-
Associated Press ments in the 1990 and held
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Isra- them responsible for the
el’s embattled prime minis- “disaster” of the Oslo Ac-
ter, Benjamin Netanyahu, cords signed with the Pal-
lashed out at the media estinians in 1993, suicide
and his political opponents bombings on public buses
in an animated speech to in the 1990s, and the sec-
hundreds of enthusiastic ond intifada in the early
supporters on Wednesday, 2000s.
seeking to deliver a pow- “Their aim is to apply ille-
erful show of force as he gitimate and nonstop pres-
battles a slew of corrup- sure on law enforcement
tion allegations that have so they file an indictment
threatened to drive him at any price, with no con-
from office. nection to the truth, with
Netanyahu’s Likud Party or- no connection to justice,”
ganized Wednesday’s rally he said.
in response to a swirling po- The speech resorted to a
lice investigation into sus- familiar strategy to Netan-
pected corruption, bribery yahu. During a three-de-
and fraud by the longtime cade political career, he
Israeli leader. has frequently attacked Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks during his Likud Party conference in Tel Aviv,
Party leaders described the the media, political oppo- Israel, Wednesday Aug. 9, 2017. Netanyahu, lashed out at the media and his political opponents
gathering as an attempt to sition, Israel’s Arab minority in an animated speech to hundreds of enthusiastic supporters on Wednesday, seeking to deliver
counter what they believe and the Palestinians in an a powerful show of force as he battles a slew of corruption allegations that have threatened to
is a campaign by a hostile attempt to rally Likud and drive him from office. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
media and overzealous portray himself as a victim.
police and prosecutors. Former prime minister Ehud hunt, there’s corruption.” that it “crossed every line.” Netanyahu made no men-
But the gathering was also Barak, one of the targets Yair Lapid, a former finance “What we saw this evening tion of the police or pros-
seen as a test of Netanya- of Netanyahu’s sniping, re- minister under Netanyahu wasn’t a rally of support for ecutors handling the inves-
hu’s popularity and control buffed Netanyahu’s com- who heads the Yesh Atid Netanyahu but a rally in tigation. But he warned the
over his party. For now, Li- ments saying “there’s no party, tweeted after the support of corruption,” La- Palestinians against hoping
kud appears to be firmly prime minister’s speech pid said. for his political demise. q
behind its leader, and any
internal opposition remains Qatar scraps visa requirements for 80 nationalities
in check.
Addressing the packed
convention hall, Netan- DUBAI, United Arab Emir- er countries can enter visa- says the allegations against “temporary or contingen-
yahu accused the “leftist” ates (AP) — Qatar an- free for an initial 30 days on Doha are politically moti- cy” routes, for Qatar Air-
media and political op- nounced on Wednesday it single or multiple trips, and vated. ways.
position of pushing for an was scrapping visa require- can extend that for a fur- The four countries cut dip- The two, in statements car-
indictment to topple him ments for visitors from 80 ther 30 days. lomatic and transport links ried on the UAE’s and Bah-
because they cannot de- countries as it weathers a Energy-rich Qatar’s econ- with Qatar in June, and rain’s state-run news agen-
feat him at the ballot box. boycott by four Arab states omy has taken a hit since barred Qatar from using cies, said that they had not
Some estimated the crowd and gears up to host the Saudi Arabia, the United their airspace and shipping agreed to open up their
numbered at least 2,000. World Cup in 2022. Arab Emirates, Egypt and lanes. airspace in full to Qatari
“The left and the media, Under the new policy an- Bahrain moved to isolate it In a related development, flights — but to only allow
and they’re the same nounced by Qatar Airways two months ago over alle- the UAE and Bahrain on Qatari aircraft to use their
thing, you know, they are and authorities, citizens of gations it supports extrem- Wednesday sought to airspace located above in-
mustering an obsessive, un- 33 mostly European coun- ists. clarify a statement made ternational waters.
precedented hunt against tries can enter without a The quartet of Arab nations the day before by the In- Last month, the four Arab
me and my family to carry visa for 90 days in single or is particularly irked by Qa- ternational Civil Aviation countries aligned against
out a regime change,” he multiple trips during a 180- tar’s ties with Iran and its Organization, which said Doha opened up air routes
said. day period. support of Islamist opposi- both countries had agreed that Qatari planes can use
Netanyahu also blamed Americans, Britons, Cana- tion groups. Qatar denies to open up some of their in case of emergency.q
the media for ousting two dians and citizens of 44 oth- it backs terror groups and airspace, including new