The current Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is systematically misleading the public, according to former Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who warned that the occupation has been dragged into the most dangerous political and security situation in its history.
In a series of sharp criticisms reported by Israeli newspaper Maariv, Barak painted a grim picture of "Israel" being led by a premier who is “counting bodies” while selling false assurances to Israelis. The broadside from a former military chief and prime minister highlights deepening internal fractures over the handling of multiple fronts, including the ongoing war on Lebanon.
Barak specifically rejected Netanyahu’s stated goal of “eliminating Hezbollah,” arguing that such an outcome is unattainable without a full-scale occupation of Lebanon. “Netanyahu has dragged Israel into its most dangerous situation,” Barak said, describing the current government as “misleading.”
“Netanyahu’s talk of ‘eliminating Hezbollah’ cannot be achieved without occupying Lebanon,” Barak stated, adding that such an occupation would not happen, calling it “completely impractical and a failure.”
Israeli army stretched paper-thin
He also warned that the Israeli military is stretched to its limit. “The army is exhausted to the extreme, and yet, they continue to mislead the public,” he said.
Expressing “deep concern” over the war on Lebanon, Barak questioned the logic behind any such move, suggesting it might not be based on operational realities. Reflecting on "Israel's" history with Lebanon, he said: “The real question regarding the withdrawal from Lebanon is not why it happened in 2000, but why it did not happen 15 years earlier. Hezbollah developed because we remained inside Lebanon.”
Barak also criticized the current government’s broader strategic vision, saying it fails to understand that “war is not an end in itself, but a means to reach a political and diplomatic solution.”
In a clear assessment of leadership alternatives, Barak argued: “Either Naftali Bennett or Gadi Eizenkot is vastly better than him (Netanyahu).”
His remarks come as an Israeli opinion poll revealed a dramatic shift in the political map. According to the survey, a unified list bringing together Bennett, Eizenkot, and Avigdor Lieberman would hand the opposition a decisive majority of 61 seats, enough to topple Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.
Separately, in a further sign of mounting criticism, Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Tuesday described threats by Netanyahu and War Minister Israel Katz to bomb Beirut’s Southern Suburb as “hollow,” even “before Trump’s intervention.” The daily criticized the government’s “false rejoicing” and its overall management of the war.
Source:Websites
