Barak warns against Israeli attack on Iran: Netanyahou's motives stem from his grip on power

Ehud Barak has warned against an Israeli attack on Iran, arguing that such a move could disrupt the swearing-in ceremony of members of the Knesset and lead to the formation of a national unity government.

He stated, “The disturbing thing is that this is being done in order to cling to power.”

The former prime minister and defense minister, Reserve Major General Ehud Barak, addressed the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iran in an interview on Monday morning with the “Seven Nine” program on 103 FM radio, delivering sharp criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct. According to Barak, the motives behind pursuing a new military confrontation do not stem from purely security considerations.

At the beginning of the interview, Barak said, “I have been fearing this for a full month. They always told me that this was impossible, but I said there is nothing that cannot occur to Netanyahu. Netanyahu is trying to drag us into a war. The problem is that if this war fails, it will come at a heavy price and may only serve to strengthen Iran.”

He added, “The disturbing aspect is that this is being done to cling to power. There is no information justifying immediate action against Iran, nor can it be handled in six or eight weeks when a new government is in place. We must not enter into a confrontation initiated by us without calmly defining what our objective is and what the chances of achieving it are.”

When asked how such a move could serve Netanyahu at the current time, he clarified, “A war of deception of this kind creates a state of emergency in the country and makes the normal procedures for the Knesset’s swearing-in extremely difficult. In the event of war, the government has the authority to designate places where gatherings are prohibited. A known event, which is considered a legitimate target by the Iranians, could lead to the cancellation of the Knesset’s swearing-in ceremony. This would create a very strong call for the formation of a national unity government, leading to deep confusion in the political landscape and imposing a security-only agenda.”

Later, Barak touched upon communications aimed at forming an alternative government coalition and the contradictions with the electoral promises made by the Change camp.

He said, “The most important promise made by the Change camp was to remove Netanyahu from power. If any other promise contradicts this, it must yield to the fundamental promise.”

He added, “One can always wonder what Netanyahu would have done if he had lacked the votes of Arab members. Mansour Abbas sat for hours with Netanyahu at his residence on Balfour Street when Netanyahu needed him. If Netanyahu had believed he could form a government with Arab assistance, Mansour Abbas would have been Minister of the Interior and Ahmad Tibi Minister of Defense.”

Regarding the issue of Haredi conscription, Barak clarified that the Israel Defense Forces are unable to absorb all of them, emphasizing that the core problem lies in their integration into the labor market and their study of basic educational subjects.

At the end of the interview, Barak directly blamed Netanyahu for the failures of the war, stating, “We tend to forget what this government has brought us. It is the government that brought upon us the October 7 massacre (2023). It brought with it a disconnect from reality. Netanyahu lives in a psychological state of complete detachment from reality. He paints pictures and frightens the public with the threat of a nuclear bomb over Tel Aviv. Iran does not possess a nuclear bomb.”

Barak concluded his remarks with sharp criticism, saying, “The issue of confrontation with Iran must be left to a new government to be formed, without the man responsible for the October 7 massacre and the fact that after three years, no objective has been achieved.”

He added: “Those who claim they can topple the Iranian regime within a few days have failed, over three years, to ensure the dismantling of Hamas and end its rule in Gaza. This man has promised five times that we are one step away from absolute victory. He does not know how to end wars, and he needs an eternal war so that no one begins to question his problematic record and actions.”