Ehud Barak Warns of Election Chaos, Slams Netanyahu and Wife

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has launched a scathing critique of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, while praising former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and current MK Yair Golan. Speaking on 103fm radio, Barak addressed Sara Netanyahu's remarks questioning why Yair Golan arrived early at the Gaza border area in uniform on October 7th. Barak dismissed these comments as conspiracy theories, suggesting Sara Netanyahu requires professional help and that her husband is responsible for her involvement in such matters. He contrasted this with previous prime ministers who maintained a separation between family and political life.

Barak lauded Golan as a brave and sharp individual, stating it is "good that he is in politics" and calling Sara Netanyahu's comments "a shame." He also condemned the actions of Jewish settlers in the West Bank, describing the damage as "enormous" and alleging active encouragement from key government ministers, with others turning a blind eye. Barak warned that a minor incident involving settlers could ignite a violent conflagration in the West Bank, potentially leading to a situation where elections cannot be held.

He argued that such a scenario would politically benefit Netanyahu and his allies by allowing them to postpone elections and distract from the failures of October 7th and the perceived lack of progress in achieving the war's objectives. Barak asserted that the government's policies are aiding Hamas, continuing a strategy he characterized as "Hamas is an asset and the PA is a burden." He maintained that the Palestinian Authority, despite not being ideal, is far more cooperative with security forces than Hamas. Barak concluded that Netanyahu's actions, intentionally or not, are helping Hamas.

Expressing concern over Netanyahu's behavior as elections approach, Barak stated the Prime Minister would "use any tool" and is desperate to remain in power. He suggested that a Netanyahu loss could accelerate investigations into his conduct, particularly concerning dealings with Qatar and prior intelligence warnings. Describing Netanyahu as "a wounded animal in a trap," Barak believes he will stop at nothing. He also commented on Yoav Segalovich joining the Ra'am party list, praising his integrity. Barak speculated that Netanyahu would ally with Arab parties if it meant staying in power, citing potential cabinet appointments for Mansour Abbas and Ahmed Tibi. Regarding the leadership of the opposition bloc, Barak affirmed Gadi Eisenkot's position and suggested any of the five leading opposition candidates would be a better prime minister than Netanyahu in his current state, leading a "far superior" government than the "corrupt" current one.