Treason Petition: Liberman Seeks Probe of Netanyahu Over Iran Dispute

Avigdor Liberman, chairman of Yisrael Beytenu, formally requested that Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara open a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of treason on Monday. The petition does not confirm wrongdoing, nor does it guarantee that an inquiry has begun. The move follows a Sunday report by N12 alleging a sharp disagreement between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir regarding a military operation that risked triggering a confrontation with Iran.

The alleged dispute occurred just two days before Israel’s October 27 election. In a Sunday post on X, Liberman argued that Netanyahu attempted to force military action to prevent the vote from taking place. He characterized the behavior as a betrayal of the state and its security apparatus. Liberman also stated that the chief of staff has a duty to shield the military from political use and protect soldiers from unnecessary danger.

On Monday, Liberman told 103FM that he would submit the request to the attorney-general. "The man has gone off the rails," he said. "One day he's preparing a crypto bomb for us, and the next day an atomic bomb. He just said he had destroyed all of Iran's bombs, and now he's dropping bombs on Tel Aviv?" He described the relationship between the military and the political leadership as strained to the point of being "never been as strained as it is now."

Liberman attributed the situation to Netanyahu’s efforts to provoke a miscalculation with Iran. He argued that any action capable of leading Israel into war or large-scale confrontation requires a decision from the full government. He also noted that the chief of staff is strong enough to insist on upholding the law.

Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected the accusations on Monday. He stated there was no strain between the IDF and the political leadership, citing complete coordination on the Iran issue since he took office. Katz called the reports "entirely false" and said Israel had no intention of initiating an attack on Iran before the elections. He added that the country would respond with great force if Iran struck first.

Katz accused opposition figures of exploiting the reports to cast doubt on the judgment of the prime minister and himself. He described the timing as difficult because the government cannot address the details of the Iranian issue for understandable reasons. He labeled the effort "shameful and irresponsible" and added, "We will overcome this too."