Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has called for the ouster of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "with sticks and stones" if he tries to undermine the upcoming general election.
Barak, who was head of the Israeli government from 1999 to 2001, made these statements in an interview today with the Israeli public service KAN.
"I fear that Netanyahu may try to sabotage the elections, and he could do this very easily," Barak said, adding that "if he tries this, we will have no choice but to drive him away with sticks and stones."
Barak claims that Netanyahu could cause sabotage by launching military operations in Lebanon, which would bring retaliation from Hezbollah and Iran.
"Netanyahu wants an endless war because he understands that ending the war would accelerate his trial," Barak declared, adding that the prime minister has already obstructed hostage-swap agreements with Hamas and blocked progress in negotiations related to Lebanon.
Netanyahu has been at the head of the current government since the end of December 2022, while his coalition is widely considered the most right-wing in Israeli history.
The current composition of the Knesset expires in October 2026, while elections are expected to be held in September or October. Netanyahu is on trial in Israel on corruption charges, and since 2024 he has also been wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Barak also sharply criticized the draft agreement between the US and Iran. "In one word - bad. In two words - very bad," he said, and warned that Israel is paying the price for Netanyahu's "arrogance and lack of vision."
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump declared that the agreement with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz will be signed on Sunday, but Tehran has rejected this deadline, saying that the signing could take place in the coming days.
Efforts are also continuing to end the war that the US and Israel launched against Iran on February 28, while a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan has been in effect since April 8. /Telegraph/