Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded his election campaign on Monday by warning that Israel could face a potential threat to its existence from Iran if his opponents win the election.
Netanyahu has centered his campaign on his security record, insisting that he is the only leader capable of completing the mission in the war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran.
But former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of exaggerating the Iranian threat when it serves his political interests, while also accusing him of failing to achieve the war’s objectives.
Speaking to Channel 14 on Monday, Netanyahu said, “I believe this is a decisive moment for the future of the state because we have enemies who want to destroy us,” adding, “We will not be able to secure our future unless we remove this fanatical and extremist regime from the face of the earth.”
He continued, “Gadi Eisenkot will not strike Iran.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s opposition united on Monday, the final day before the general election, in accusing Netanyahu of playing a dangerous game with Iran to win votes. Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected the allegations.
One of Netanyahu’s rivals, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, went so far as to call for an investigation into the prime minister on charges of “treason,” arguing that Netanyahu was willing to “sacrifice the lives of soldiers for fear of suffering an electoral defeat.”
