A former Israeli defense minister and army chief castigated Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday, accusing him of leading Israel down a path of “racism, fascism, and Messianism.”
Moshe Yaalon, who once served as the IDF chief of staff and later as Defense Minister under then-Prime Minister Netanyahu, lashed out at his former boss in an interview with Radio 103FM Tuesday morning, blaming him for Israel’s political stalemate and lamenting that Netanyahu could soon return to power.
“The reality is very problematic and comes from the fact that the State of Israel has gone off the rails. It is a deviation that features racism, fascism, and Messianism.”
“All of this comes from the fact that someone took control of the country, like a gang, and is doing everything they can to avoid being tried in court.”
Yaalon, who dropped out of the 2021 election after his Telem faction polled under the electoral threshold, said that he has mixed feelings about the current government, but called it an improvement over its predecessor, accusing Netanyahu of cultivating a ‘cult of personality’.
“There are reforms and plans, and I don’t agree with all of it.”
“Did you see the Independence Day ceremony? Suddenly there’s no North Korean-style cult of personality. Positive things are happening. But this government is facing political terrorism. My greatest fear is that in the next election, Netanyahu will succeed in forming a government. That could happen.”