Netanyahu must be ousted, not saved, says ex-premier Barak

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has launched a stinging attack on the current post-holder, saying that Benjamin Netanyahu should be ousted, not saved, Al-Resalah newspaper reported on Sunday. Barak used Twitter to describe Netanyahu as a “coward” and “misleading”.

Barak also served as Defence Minister. He made his comments after Haaretz reported the details of a regional peace initiative proposed by Netanyahu to the leader of the Israeli opposition Isaac Herzog six months ago. The comments coincided with the publication of the findings of the State Comptroller’s report which accused Netanyahu of failing in the 2014 Israeli military offensive against the Palestinians in Gaza.

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The report said that Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon did not propose political alternatives for the war, despite their knowledge of the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Barak served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001, and as defence minister from 2007 to 2013. He quit politics after his resignation, but was responsible for leading Israel’s 2012 war against Gaza.