Liberman Demands Treason Probe Into Netanyahu Over Alleged Push for Iran Escalation Before Israel Election

Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman has asked Israel's attorney-general to open a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of treason, a day before the country votes.

The former defence minister acted after a television report said Netanyahu had clashed with the military chief of staff over unspecified military action that could spark a confrontation with Iran.

Netanyahu dismissed the report as 'nonsense', and his defence minister said Israel had no intention of attacking Iran before the election. Liberman's letter does not mean an investigation has opened.

Liberman Writes to Attorney-General

Liberman asked Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara on Monday, 26 October 2026, to investigate Netanyahu, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Speaking to the radio station 103FM, in remarks translated by The Jerusalem Post, Liberman said Netanyahu 'has gone off the rails'. He said relations between the military and the political leadership had 'never been as strained as it is now'.

He argued that any action that could lead to war or a large-scale confrontation 'must be subject to a government discussion and decision'. He added that the chief of staff 'is strong enough to insist on upholding the law'.

Liberman's letter claims Netanyahu 'has been pressuring security chiefs to take steps that might cause a miscalculation vis-a-vis Iran', according to The Times of Israel. The paper noted that the letter did not provide specific examples or evidence of the alleged offences, and assessed that an investigation was highly unlikely. A request for an investigation is not a charge or a finding of wrongdoing.

In a post on X on Sunday, Liberman wrote: 'I have no doubt that Bibi is trying to force Israel into military action.' He said the conduct 'amounts to a betrayal of the state and its security'.

Report of Clash With Army Chief

Liberman's move followed a report on Sunday by Israel's Channel 12, known as N12. It said Netanyahu and Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, had clashed over an unspecified military action that could trigger a confrontation with Iran. The details of the action have not been disclosed.

According to the report, as summarised by Israel Hayom, Zamir received instructions from the political leadership in recent days about an operation that could quickly escalate. He asked for an in-depth discussion before carrying out the orders and demanded legal authorisation and formal signatures.

Military officials were reportedly concerned that the Iran issue was being exploited for political purposes ahead of the vote. Government officials called the allegations 'an outright lie'.

A separate CNN report, as summarised by The Times of Israel, said Netanyahu had pushed for a joint US and Israeli strike on Iran, but that the Trump administration asked for any action to wait until Washington was ready. CNN cited two US officials and an Israeli security source. 'Trump did not give a green light,' the Israeli source said.

According to that source, one reason for the delay was a warning from Zamir that an attack could lead to the postponement of the Knesset election. The Prime Minister's Office called the CNN report 'fake news'.

Netanyahu and Katz Deny Rift

Netanyahu rejected the Channel 12 account in an interview with Channel 14 on Sunday night. 'There was no fight between us,' he said. 'It's all nonsense,' The Times of Israel reported.

Israel Hayom quoted him as saying 'There is no confrontation'. He pointed out that the chief of staff had himself stated that 'Iran is trying to interfere with the elections'.

He said Israel was preparing for the Iranian threat, and said in the same interview that he had 'instructed the IDF and the Mossad to topple the regime' in Tehran.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said coordination with the prime minister and the IDF on Iran 'has been complete'. He said there was 'no intention on Israel's part to initiate an attack on Iran before the elections'. Katz called the reports 'entirely false' and described opposition efforts to exploit them as 'shameful and irresponsible'.

Opposition leaders seized on the reports. Yair Lapid said Netanyahu 'wants to provoke an escalation and confrontation with Iran just to postpone the elections'. 'The man has gone off the rails. We have to send him home,' he said, according to Israel Hayom.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of staff who now leads the Yashar party, addressed the prime minister directly. 'Netanyahu, I'm watching you,' he said. 'Don't you dare put your political interests ahead of national security.'

Democrats leader Yair Golan said he fully backed the chief of staff 'for upholding his professional duty' and called Netanyahu 'a security threat to Israel'.

The dispute emerged in the final days of a closely contested campaign. Polls published on Friday by Kan 11, Channel 12 and Channel 13 put Eisenkot's Yashar ahead of Likud, Ynet reported. All three gave Netanyahu's bloc 50 seats and the opposition bloc between 52 and 56, leaving both short of a 61-seat majority. Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu was projected to win eight seats.

Israelis go to the polls on Tuesday, 27 October.