Barak's Election Conspiracy Ignites Political Storm

Former prime minister Ehud Barak sparked a political storm Sunday after warning that if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tries to disrupt the upcoming election, he would have to be removed “with sticks and stones.”

Speaking in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, Barak claimed Netanyahu could try to create a security escalation in order to delay or undermine elections.

“He may do it,” Barak said. “It is very easy to do. A surprise in Nabatieh, they respond, we act in Dahiyeh, and then we have a war with Iran and there are no elections.”

Barak’s remarks came amid growing political tension ahead of the expected election campaign, as well as renewed debate over Israel’s regional strategy and the emerging agreement between the United States and Iran.

Barak also criticized the expected U.S.-Iran understandings, describing them as “bad” and then “very bad.” He said Israel is paying the price for what he called Netanyahu’s arrogance, blindness and attempts to manipulate U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to Barak, the arrangement does not address Israel’s central security concerns. He said it focuses only on the nuclear issue and does not provide answers to Iran’s missile program or its proxy network across the region.

“This is not an agreement, it is a memorandum of understandings,” Barak said. “There is no answer in it to the missiles and no answer to the proxies.”

He added that Israel now has almost no influence over the outcome, calling that situation a tragedy. Barak argued that while Iran has suffered major blows over the past year, it has emerged stronger internally, regionally and internationally. Israel, he said, achieved significant military successes after recovering from the October 7 massacre but has ended up weakened diplomatically and strategically.

Barak’s comments drew an immediate and furious response from Likud MK Boaz Bismuth, who accused him of promoting conspiracy theories and legitimizing violence against Netanyahu.

“Ehud Barak opens the week by advancing a conspiracy and legitimizing violence against Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Bismuth said.

Bismuth then attacked Barak personally, referring to past comments attributed to him about bodies in the Yarkon River and accusing him of repeatedly calling for civil rebellion.

“This terrible man, who watched bodies of Jews in the Yarkon, who called for civil revolt and lost all humanity, continues to break records,” Bismuth said.

He called for Barak to be sent for psychiatric evaluation, adding that if he is found mentally fit, a criminal investigation should be opened against him immediately.

Barak’s remarks add to growing criticism from opposition figures over the reported Iran framework. Opposition leader Yair Lapid has also called the expected agreement a complete failure by Netanyahu.