Israeli opposition leader Avigdor Lieberman on Monday demanded a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of treason, accusing him of attempting to drag Israel into a war with Iran to avoid defeat in Tuesday’s general elections.
Lieberman, leader of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, submitted a formal request to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.
In his letter, Lieberman said that Netanyahu had been pressuring senior security officials over the past month to take steps that could trigger a military confrontation with Iran.
“Over the past month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressuring the heads of the security establishment to take steps that could lead to a miscalculation with Iran,” Lieberman wrote.
He accused Netanyahu of attempting to involve Israel in another war because of concerns about losing the elections.
“Attempting to drag the State of Israel into war on the eve of elections, along with the willingness to sacrifice IDF (Israeli army) soldiers solely out of fear of electoral defeat, constitutes treason against the state, its security and IDF soldiers,” he said.
“I demand the immediate opening of a criminal investigation against Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of treason,” he added.
Earlier Monday, Lieberman made similar accusations during an interview with Israeli radio station 103FM, according to Israeli newspaper Maariv.
“Netanyahu is clearly betraying the state when he wants to drag us into war,” Lieberman said, accusing the premier of being willing to sacrifice soldiers’ lives because of fears of electoral defeat.
Political-military tensions
The opposition leader also alleged unprecedented tensions between Israel’s political and military leadership.
“Never has there been such a strained relationship between the military and political leadership as there is today,” he said, attributing the situation to Netanyahu’s efforts to provoke a miscalculation with Iran.
Lieberman stressed that any military action potentially leading to war or a large-scale confrontation required government deliberation and approval under Israeli law.
He also accused Netanyahu of attempting to undermine the legitimacy of the Central Elections Committee and the election results, warning that such efforts could trigger serious internal confrontation.
“We are simultaneously seeing an intensified effort by Netanyahu to delegitimise the Central Elections Committee and the election results, even at the cost of a severe internal confrontation, civil war and the disintegration of the state,” he said.
Lieberman further claimed that Netanyahu was aware of the possibility of losing the elections and was therefore seeking to escalate tensions with Iran.
“Even Netanyahu knows he is going to lose. That is why all his hysteria and his attempt to drag us into war,” he said.
There was no immediate response from Netanyahu to Lieberman’s accusations.
Election tensions
The accusations come ahead of Israel’s general elections on Tuesday, amid heightened tensions with Iran.
Netanyahu claimed Sunday that Israeli intelligence indicated Iran and its regional allies could launch attacks aimed at disrupting the elections.
He warned Tehran against such actions, threatening a severe military response.
On October 13, Lieberman accused Netanyahu of preparing possible military offensive against Iran, Hamas or Hezbollah to remain in power, claiming that the prime minister was motivated by political survival rather than security considerations.
Netanyahu also unveiled a new national security doctrine on October 18, identifying the overthrow of Iran’s government as a strategic objective and emphasising preemptive military operations.
The latest accusations come amid continuing tensions between Israel and Iran following their military confrontation earlier this year.
