WASHINGTON (TNND) — Former Israeli Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman on Monday demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be criminally investigated for the charge of treason.
“This morning, I appealed to the Attorney General demanding the opening of a criminal investigation against Benjamin Netanyahu for the charge of treason,” he wrote on X. “In the past month, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been pressuring the heads of the security establishment to take steps that could create a miscalculation vis-à-vis Iran.”
Liberman said that Netanyahu was attempting to drag Israel into a war right before the upcoming elections.
“The attempt to drag the State of Israel into war on the eve of elections, together with the willingness to sacrifice IDF soldiers solely due to fear of losing the elections, constitutes treason against the state, its security, and the IDF soldiers,” the post concluded.
Elections in Israel take place on Oct. 27 and Netanyahu is neck and neck with former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, according to NBC News. This is the first nationwide election since Oct. 7, 2023 when Israel was attacked by Hamas, resulting in the ongoing war in Gaza.
On Sunday, Israeli reporter Yaron Avraham reported that Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Netanyahu had a tense confrontation over a potential attack on Iran.
“The issue in the background: the Iranian matter,” Avraham wrote on X. “And fears of Zamir that Netanyahu and the political echelon might lead to a scenario of miscalculation against Iran just before the elections. A security source: This is an action that could lead to a sudden confrontation with Iran at a sensitive and dramatic timing, and create a miscalculation.”
Liberman shared Avraham’s post and said he believes Netanyahu was trying to force a military move in order to stop elections.
“This conduct amounts to betrayal of the state and its security,” he said. “The duty of the Chief of Staff is to prevent the political use of the IDF, and to safeguard the lives of IDF soldiers and not endanger them because of the Prime Minister’s fear of losing the elections.”