JERUSALEM: Israeli prime ministerial hopeful Gadi Eisenkot on Sunday said caretaker premier Benjamin Netanyahu “cannot remain at the head of the government for a minute longer,” following reports indicating alleged electoral interference by a Netanyahu aide.
A few hours after representatives of the two men met to discuss the possible formation of a national unity government, Eisenkot launched a scathing attack on his rival.
“The behavior of the outgoing prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his entourage constitutes a concrete, direct and immediate threat to Israeli democracy,” said Eisenkot, a former army chief.
Israel’s Channel 12 had earlier reported that on the eve of the election, Netanyahu’s chief of staff Ido Norden had phoned in a complaint to the police commissioner’s office about members of the Arab-Israeli Raam party.
During this exchange, Norden reportedly directed police officers to a purported intelligence source who was a former employee of Netanyahu’s office, according to Channel 12.
Based on information from this source, three Raam members were arrested. Netanyahu subsequently launched an offensive against the Arab-Israeli parties, accusing them of electoral fraud after they gained a record number of seats.
The three men were later released when the police determined that the information provided by this source was unfounded.
“I call for the immediate opening of an investigation into this affair,”
