Ehud Barak Claims Netanyahu Unfit for Office and Warns of Iran War Provocation
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak launched a severe attack on Benjamin Netanyahu, warning he might trigger a war with Iran to disrupt coalition formation and government talks.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak launched a scathing attack on incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating he is "not fit to remain prime minister for even a single day." In a television interview on "Meet the Press", Barak warned that Netanyahu might initiate a military conflict with Iran to disrupt current coalition negotiations and the formation of the next government.
Barak pointed to the recent week-long delay in appointing Avigdor Lieberman as head of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, attributing the holdup directly to Netanyahu. "There is no other explanation except that Netanyahu is considering making a war, initiating a war that will disrupt the establishment of the government," Barak stated, describing the maneuvers as dangerous provocations. Lieberman's appointment is scheduled to proceed following the Likud delay.
Pre-Election Security Claims and Iranian Tensions
To substantiate his concerns, Barak referenced two pre-election security incidents. The first involved a large-scale flight of dozens of Israeli fighter jets over Syria and Iraq near the Iranian border, which US officials suspected was intended to trigger an Iranian retaliation and provide a pretext for a military strike. A second planned action days before the elections was reportedly halted before receiving formal approval.
While the Prime Minister's Office previously denied reports that Netanyahu pushed for an active operation alongside Mossad Director Roman Gofman—maintaining that a pre-election strike was never on the agenda—Barak asserted that the threat of a deliberate escalation remains a live option in Netanyahu's calculus.
Coalition Dynamics and Future Government Options
Turning to current political talks, Barak dismissed the prospect of a unity government with Netanyahu, asserting that Avigdor Lieberman remains fully committed to unseating the incumbent premier while initially exhausting dialogue with ultra-Orthodox factions.
Barak suggested that should these coalition efforts fail, a minority government backed externally by Arab parties could emerge, potentially drawing support from ultra-Orthodox elements later on. However, Lieberman has previously rejected minority governments reliant on Arab factions, maintaining that a stable 61-member coalition remains achievable.
