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Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may refuse to accept the results of Israel’s Oct. 27 general election if he loses, alleging that Netanyahu could claim the vote was fraudulent.
Speaking on an Israeli radio program, Barak said Netanyahu views next month’s election as a threat to himself.
Barak said a Netanyahu defeat could lead to the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the events of Oct. 7, 2023, and claimed the prime minister was deeply afraid of what such an investigation could uncover.
Barak described Netanyahu as a “wounded animal caught in a trap” and said he believed the prime minister would use every available means to prevent the election from proceeding.
“Nothing will stop Netanyahu, and he will use every possible way to prevent the elections,” Barak said.
He also said attacks by Israelis who seize Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank were effectively encouraged by key ministers in Netanyahu’s government.
“Anyone with foresight understands that the outbreak of chaos that could lead to the cancellation of the elections would serve Netanyahu and his political partners,” Barak said.
Recent Israeli opinion polls show Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party winning 24 seats if elections were held, compared with 22 for Netanyahu’s Likud.
The polls put the opposition bloc led by Eisenkot at 55 seats, Netanyahu’s coalition bloc at 52 and parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel at 13.
A party or coalition needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers in Israel’s 120-seat parliament to form a government.
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