Businessman Slams Netanyahu as Even Close Family Distances Itself

Businessman Roni Mana has criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that even close family members are abandoning him. Mana's remarks came after Prof. Nathan Netanyahu, the Prime Minister's cousin and a professor emeritus of computer science, announced he would not vote for the Likud party and was freezing his membership. Mana posted on social media, "Wow, even the close family is abandoning him. Don't be stupid, throw the crazy family out."

Mana further linked the upcoming election to a choice between Netanyahu and the IDF Chief of Staff, urging voters to support the military. His comments followed an article by Prof. Nathan Netanyahu titled "This Time I Will Not Vote for the Likud - On Three Crimes of the Israeli Government and for Four I Will Not Choose Them!". Prof. Netanyahu, son of the late Supreme Court Justice Shoshana Netanyahu and Prof. Elisha Netanyahu, and nephew of Benzion and Ido Netanyahu, explained his decision stems from the Likud party abandoning its original values.

He detailed four main issues: the promotion of judicial legislation, which he warned would harm judicial independence; the collapse of the security concept regarding Hamas, citing years of a containment policy that allowed Hamas to arm itself; the erosion of the social contract, pointing to failures in education, health, and the cost of living while criticizing exemptions from military service and budgets for Haredi factions; and the lack of accountability, particularly the avoidance of a state inquiry commission for the October 7th massacre and the deflection of responsibility by the Prime Minister.

Prof. Netanyahu concluded by stating he would not vote for the current Likud leadership and would only reconsider if a different leadership emerged. He was previously associated with the "Forum of Professors for National and Economic Resilience" and had signed a public petition against the disengagement plan in 2004.