Liberman seeks treason probe of Netanyahu over Iran dispute

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman asked Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara to open a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of treason on Monday.

The request follows a Sunday report by N12 detailing a dispute between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir regarding a proposed military operation against Iran that was two days before the October 27 election.

Liberman accused the prime minister of trying to force Israel into military action to stop the vote. He described the conduct as a betrayal of the state and its security in a statement published on X/Twitter. He argued that Zamir had a duty to stop the military from being used for political purposes and to shield soldiers from unnecessary risk.

Speaking to 103FM on Monday, Liberman said he would approach the attorney-general with the treason allegations. "The man has gone off the rails. One day he's preparing a crypto bomb for us, and the next day an atomic bomb. He just said he had destroyed all of Iran's bombs, and now he's dropping bombs on Tel Aviv?" he said. He added that the relationship between the military and political leadership had never been as strained as it is now.

Liberman stated that the chief of staff was strong enough to insist on upholding the law. Under that law, any action with consequences that could lead the state into war or a large-scale confrontation must be subject to a government discussion and decision. He called the current situation the result of Netanyahu's efforts to provoke a miscalculation with Iran.

Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected the accusation of strain between the IDF and political leadership. "Since taking office as Defense Minister, the coordination between the prime minister and me and the IDF on the Iran issue has been complete - with unprecedented historic achievements for the security of the State of Israel. This is the sole consideration - and so it will be in the future as well," he said in a statement.

Katz stated unequivocally that Israel did not intend to initiate an attack on Iran before the elections. He said all reports on the matter were false and that the attempt by opposition figures to exploit those reports to attack the prime minister and himself was shameful and irresponsible.