Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman responded on Friday to the harsh criticism by Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's decision to delay the vote on the appointment of Israel's first Arab and Muslim minister MK Ghaleb Majadle was because of racism. In an interview with Israel Radio, Lieberman said that Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz was fully aware that the delay was only because Olmert wanted to shuffle his cabinet after the January 31 verdict in the trial of former justice minister Haim Ramon so "the fact that he is prepared to say that proves he is an idiot and doesn't understand anything about politics." Lieberman stressed that he was not opposed to Majadle's appointment and his problem was not with Majadle's race but with the inexperienced Peretz continuing to be in charge of the army. The Israel Beiteinu chairman reiterated his call on Olmert to replace Peretz saying that "every additional moment with Peretz as defense minister is a blow to Israel's security."
Majadle's appointment is not expected to come to a vote in Sunday's cabinet meeting, despite the Labor central committee's decision to allow Peretz to nominate him. Peretz's associates vowed he would fight Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to ensure that Majadle's appointment as science, culture and sport minister would not be delayed. "If Olmert doesn't bring Ghaleb's appointment to a vote on Sunday, he is giving into the racism of [Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor] Lieberman," a Peretz spokeman said on Thursday.