Ehud Barak
Ehud BarakFlash 90

Is a former Prime Minister firing up a comeback bid?

Many billboards hung today (Tuesday) in the Tel Aviv area read: "Barak, you must run!" with "Netanyahu is ruining the country" written underneath.

Pictures posted on social media show the billboards displayed in several central locations, including the University train station in Tel Aviv, the road leaving Petah Tikva, and the building across from the Ayalon mall in Ramat Gan. It is not yet known who is behind the campaign and who funded the billboards.

Former Prime Minister Barak has been harshly critical of Binyamin Netanyahu and his administration's policies recently. During a speech in a conference three weeks ago Barak said that Netanyahu and his government "are undermining Israel's security.

"When the US military aid deal for the next decade is signed, the extent of the damage done by Netanyahu's reckless gambling with relations with the White House will become clear to all," Barak said in his speech.

The former PM also vaguely hinted at some other looming crisis, saying there was "another occurrence in which a worrying combination of lack of judgement of deep security issues and lack of awareness of the potential of cooperation with the US, together with negligent management, led to Israel being exposed to a significant security threat."

Reacting a week later, Netanyahu dismissed Barak's accusations: "No one knows what he's talking about, simply no one knows. I've spoken with my security advisors about it, and no one has any idea.

"Barak was the most failed Prime Minister in the history of Israel," Netanyahu added, "he's the one who promised American financial aid and failed. Where are the billions for Israel's security that he promised? He can go ahead and wag his tail to try to build a comeback."