Ehud Barak
Ehud Barakצילום: פלאש 90

Former Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ehud Barak criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Monday night for what he said was the Prime Minister's pandering to a dangerous stream of nationalism.

"Blind nationalism is not a natural identity, and it is not a disease without a cure." Barak said. He accused "politicians, cynical [people], demagogues, populists, and insecure [people]" of attempting to rile up base nationalist passions in order to stay in power.

He said that the Prime Minister and other right-wing politicians are obsessed with perceived existential threats to the State of Israel. "Fear blinds the eyes and cripples freedom of thought. They look and see existential threats" everywhere, paralyzing them.

"The nationalist obsessions of the leaders of the right, with Netanyahu at their head, are the greatest threat to Israel's future. This needs to be fixed, and the fixing begins at home." he added. "I would like to see us form a massive movement to call for change in the country."