"Today's example is a classic, and should be written up in the books."  So
said Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning, in a sharp attack on the media.
Speaking on a popular radio talk show with prominent interviewers Dalia
Ya'iri and Chanan Crystal, Netanyahu was asked about a four-year-old video cassette recording of a rabbi associated with Netanyahu expressing the wish that "Peres, Rabin, and Arafat end up like Pharaoh." 

Netanyahu said, "Here's a perfect example. On the one hand, the news yesterday reported the unworthy remarks made by the rabbi four years ago, remarks that shouldn't have been said...  This was four years ago. But yesterday - yesterday - a university professor, a supporter of Ehud Barak, said disgusting things about me and said that he would be happy if Ariel Sharon died!  Now, I would have expected that when a prominent supporter of Barak, who teaches thousands of students [in Ben Gurion University], stands up and says these things, I would have expected that you [the media] would do a story on this, and that you would ask Barak about this!... Instead you ask me about something that happened four years ago!"

Interviewer Crystal said,  "The rabbi was photographed with you, but the
professor was not photographed with Barak."
Netanyahu:  "This is called 'guilt by association' - McCarthyism. The rabbi
said terrible things four years ago, but what do you call what was said
just yesterday if not shocking!...  I would like to ask you: Why don't you
do a program on this?"
Dalia Ya'iri:  "We will."
Netanyahu:  "Oh, NOW you will, after I call upon you to do so.  But why did
you not make this an important part of your programming today, when a
professor calls for the death of Minister Sharon, and uses such filthy
language about me?"
Ya'iri:  "Mr. Prime Minister, we simply didn't know, we didn't hear a
report on this."
Netanyahu:  "It's very interesting that you didn't hear about THAT
matter..."

The interview with Prime Minister Netanyahu can be heard [in Hebrew] on our
website, at <http://www.a7.org/sound/sound.htm>.

Reactions to the professor's statements against Sharon and Netanyahu:
*  "A severe blow to the basic cultural values of every democratic
society."  - Ben Gurion University
*  "I call upon the university to dismiss him for his severe incitement." -
Minister Moshe Katzav
*  "We sharply condemn the words against Minister Sharon." - a statement by
Ehud Barak's One Israel (there was no relation to the professor's remarks
against Netanyahu). 
*  "We revile the remarks, and wish Minister Sharon a long life." - Meretz
*  "The left hypocritically hurries to forgive itself for incitement
against large portions of the Israeli society, but displays a fantastic
memory for every unfortunate remarks ever made by a right-winger since the
Exodus from Egypt." - MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union)