Netanyahu's Iran Gambit: Liberman Files Treason Bid on Election Eve

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman has requested that Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara open a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of treason.

The petition was issued on Monday, 2026-10-26, in response to a report by the N12 broadcaster. The report alleged that Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir engaged in a dispute regarding a proposed military operation against Iran. The timing of the reported conflict placed it just 48 hours before the general election scheduled for October 27. Liberman stated that the request does not confirm wrongdoing or signify that a formal inquiry has begun.

On Sunday, Liberman posted on X that he believed the prime minister was attempting to trigger a military confrontation to disrupt the voting process. He characterized the alleged actions as a betrayal of the state's security. He further argued that the military chief is obligated to prevent the use of the army for political ends and to shield soldiers from unnecessary danger. While speaking to 103FM on Monday, Liberman described the prime minister as having "gone off the rails." He cited a sequence of contradictory statements regarding Iran, including claims about destroying Iranian bombs and dropping bombs on Tel Aviv. He noted that relations between the military and political leadership are at their most strained point, a condition he attributed to Netanyahu's efforts to provoke a miscalculation with Iran.

Liberman asserted that the chief of staff has the strength to enforce the law. He maintained that any military action with the potential to lead to a large-scale war requires a government decision. Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the accusations by rejecting the notion of strained relations between the IDF and the political leadership. Katz stated that coordination regarding the Iran issue has been complete since his appointment. He described the security achievements as historic and denied that Israel intends to initiate an attack before the election.

Katz said the government would respond with force if Iran attacked first. He dismissed reports of an imminent strike as entirely false. He accused opposition figures of exploiting the situation to challenge the judgment of the leadership while the government is limited in discussing Iranian details. Katz labeled the effort "shameful and irresponsible" and stated that the government will overcome the situation.