Netanyahu to Brief Lapid on War Threat Ahead of Elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday, September 29, that Israel's enemies may attempt to attack the country ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections, which are 28 days away. Speaking at the Tel Nof Air Force base, Netanyahu stated, "There are signs that before the elections, our enemies will try to attack us." He issued a stern warning to adversaries, "Don't mess with us, not now, not ever. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, anytime."

Following Netanyahu's remarks, opposition leader Yair Lapid requested an urgent security briefing from the Prime Minister's office to understand the nature of the threats and ensure the elections proceed without disruption. Lapid alluded to past media reports suggesting Egypt and the UAE had warned Israel about a potential large-scale Hamas attack in 2023, implying Netanyahu's sudden seriousness about security warnings was politically motivated.

Initially, Netanyahu's office stated that his military secretary would brief Lapid, which was interpreted as a refusal for a direct meeting. However, two hours later, a late-night briefing was scheduled. Lapid also called for a four-way meeting involving himself, Netanyahu, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and Central Elections Committee chairman Judge Yitzhak Amit, emphasizing the need for all parties to be fully informed when a threat to the elections is publicly declared.

Other opposition figures echoed Lapid's concerns. Gadi Eisenkot's party, HaMahane HaTzioni, warned that Netanyahu's statements could be a political maneuver to undermine the electoral system and stressed that national security should not be mixed with election campaigns. Yair Golan of the Democratic Party accused Netanyahu of fearing election loss and potentially using state security to disrupt the vote. Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu had previously suggested in an interview that Netanyahu might initiate a war for political reasons to prevent elections.

Oded Forer of Yisrael Beiteinu drew a parallel between the war threat and the coalition's efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox men from military conscription, questioning why yeshiva students were not being drafted if the threat was real and calling for universal conscription. This contrasts with Netanyahu's earlier statements in early September, where he described Israel as stronger than ever and its adversaries as weaker, specifically mentioning Iran's restraint due to fear of retaliation.