Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly attacked the US for brokering a deal between Israel and Lebanon to settle a naval dispute, claiming that American involvement amounts to election interference, according to a TV report on Sunday.
Public broadcaster Kan reported that Netanyahu had claimed in private conversations that the Biden government was trying to interfere in the Nov. 1 election.
According to the report, Netanyahu protested both US involvement in the Israel-Lebanon negotiations and a warning from a senior Democratic senator that the former prime minister’s inclusion of far-right lawmakers in a potential future government would jeopardize US-Lebanon relations would affect Israel.
A source told Walla and Axios news sites that Netanyahu was “upset” by comments made by Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, who chairs the US Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee.
In public comments on Sunday on the looming deal on the naval dispute, Netanyahu accused Prime Minister Yair Lapid of “surrendering to Hezbollah’s threats” and claimed that if he could form a government after the elections, he would not be bound by them act.
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The Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group has repeatedly issued threats against the gas plants during US-brokered talks.
Lapid responded in a tweet addressing Netanyahu directly, saying: “For 10 years you have failed trying to bring about this deal, at least do not harm Israel’s security interests and do not help Hezbollah with irresponsible messages. “
Defense Secretary Benny Gantz also commented on Netanyahu’s comments, accusing the opposition leader of being guided by “irresponsible political considerations”.
Public Security Minister Omer Barlev later accused Netanyahu of “doing exactly the same thing [Hassan] Nasrallah,” referring to the head of the Lebanese terrorist group.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid flies over the Karish gas field on July 19, 2022. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)
Meanwhile, a poll released Sunday night showed Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious bloc would narrowly fail to secure a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
According to Channel 13 News poll, Netanyahu’s Likud would get 31 seats, followed by Yesh Atid with 25, Religious Zionism 14, National Unity 12, Shas 8, United Torah Judaism 7, Labor 5, Yisrael Beytenu 5, Meretz 5, Hadash -Ta ‘al 4 and Ra’am 4.
Jewish Home and Balad, which split from Hadash and Ta’al, would not exceed the 3.25 percent electoral threshold at 2 percent each.
According to the poll, Netanyahu’s bloc has 60 seats, one narrowly ahead of the majority and one fewer than in a poll by the same channel 10 days ago. Polls in recent weeks have consistently put the opposition bloc at 59-60 seats.
Israeli television polls are particularly unreliable; nevertheless, they often steer the decision-making of politicians.
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