Liberman Asks State Prosecutor to Examine Netanyahu on Treason Suspicion

With Israel's election two days away, the head of Yisrael Beytenu has asked the attorney general to consider criminal charges against the prime minister.

Avigdor Liberman said he would request that Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara open a probe into Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of treason. The request, issued Monday, does not mean a case has been opened and establishes no wrongdoing. It follows an N12 report from Sunday that Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir had argued over a proposed military operation that could trigger a confrontation with Iran.

Writing on X on Sunday, Liberman argued that Netanyahu was seeking to start military action in order to prevent the vote from proceeding. He called the conduct a betrayal of the state and its security. He also said the chief of staff must keep the military out of political use and shield soldiers from unnecessary risk. On 103FM Monday, Liberman said he would go to the attorney general for the investigation. "The man has gone off the rails," he said. "One day he's preparing a crypto bomb for our sake, and the next day an atomic bomb." He added that ties between the military and political leadership have "never been as strained as it is now," and said any move that could carry Israel into war needs a government discussion and decision.

Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected the charges and said there is no strain between the IDF and the political leadership. He said coordination among the prime minister, himself, and the IDF on the Iran question has been complete since he took office. Katz said Israel has no plan to strike Iran before the election, and he called all reports on the matter false. He accused opposition figures of using the reports to question his and Netanyahu's judgment, calling the effort "shameful and irresponsible" and adding, "We will overcome this too."

Israel holds its election on Oct. 27.