Eisenkot Blasts Netanyahu as “No Longer Fit” Days Before Vote
(MENAFN) Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said Saturday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “no longer fit” to govern. He spoke just days before pivotal Israeli elections and warned that Netanyahu’s economic plan to blunt possible international sanctions endangers national security.
In a post on US social media company X, the Yashar party leader accused Netanyahu of turning to “dismantling the Israeli economy for generations ahead” after, he alleged, tearing apart Israeli society and weakening the army.
Eisenkot said Netanyahu’s recent statements amount to “conclusive proof that he has lost touch with reality and moved into a world of delusions,” and accused the premier of floating preparations to cut Israel off from the global financial system as its international standing declines.
“This is the madness of a man who is no longer fit to lead the country,” he said.
The attack came a day after Netanyahu said he had commissioned an economic plan built on alternative payment methods, including cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, in case of international economic and banking sanctions. Netanyahu voiced concern over potential restrictions on the Israeli banking system. He did not say Israel would withdraw from the global economic system; framing the proposal as economic isolation was part of Eisenkot’s criticism.
Netanyahu also cautioned that US military aid would not last forever. He urged Israel to prepare for its possible end and to build up military self-reliance.
Economic isolation warning
Eisenkot ridiculed the proposal as “Bibicoin,” a play on Netanyahu’s nickname, Bibi, and the alternative payment tools he has floated.
He asked how Israeli tech firms serving foreign clients would get paid or draw overseas investment if forced to bypass international banking and rely on cryptocurrencies. He also questioned how foreign acquisitions of Israeli companies could go ahead if the economy drifted toward isolation from global finance.
That path, Eisenkot warned, could push Israeli companies to relocate abroad, wipe out savings and investments, and prompt citizens to leave. He said the fallout could include fewer jobs and shrinking resources for healthcare and education, ultimately undermining national security.
“This is not an imagined nightmare scenario, but Netanyahu’s plan for Israel if he is reelected” on Tuesday, he said.
“This is a real warning. Israel will not withstand another four years like these.”
Backlash from economic circles
Netanyahu’s remarks also drew criticism in Israeli political and economic circles. Israeli media cited an unnamed senior economic official who said using cryptocurrencies and alternative financial technologies to sidestep banking sanctions would not achieve its aim, and that merely proposing it could damage the economy.
The row unfolds amid mounting international pressure on Israel over its war on the Gaza Strip, settlement expansion and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank. The UK and other Western countries have taken measures against individuals and entities tied to Israeli settlements, while worries about wider economic and diplomatic pressure have grown inside Israel.
The exchange comes ahead of Tuesday’s Knesset elections, in which Netanyahu and Eisenkot are vying to lead the next government. In his post, Eisenkot urged Israelis to vote for “a better shared future.”
A former military chief, Eisenkot is among Netanyahu’s leading rivals, and the two are sharply at odds on security and economic policy, national leadership and foreign relations. Israeli politics also remains deeply split over who bears responsibility for the failures around the October 2023 attack, the conduct of the wars that followed, military conscription, the economy, and ties with the US and other Western countries.
In a post on US social media company X, the Yashar party leader accused Netanyahu of turning to “dismantling the Israeli economy for generations ahead” after, he alleged, tearing apart Israeli society and weakening the army.
Eisenkot said Netanyahu’s recent statements amount to “conclusive proof that he has lost touch with reality and moved into a world of delusions,” and accused the premier of floating preparations to cut Israel off from the global financial system as its international standing declines.
“This is the madness of a man who is no longer fit to lead the country,” he said.
The attack came a day after Netanyahu said he had commissioned an economic plan built on alternative payment methods, including cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, in case of international economic and banking sanctions. Netanyahu voiced concern over potential restrictions on the Israeli banking system. He did not say Israel would withdraw from the global economic system; framing the proposal as economic isolation was part of Eisenkot’s criticism.
Netanyahu also cautioned that US military aid would not last forever. He urged Israel to prepare for its possible end and to build up military self-reliance.
Economic isolation warning
Eisenkot ridiculed the proposal as “Bibicoin,” a play on Netanyahu’s nickname, Bibi, and the alternative payment tools he has floated.
He asked how Israeli tech firms serving foreign clients would get paid or draw overseas investment if forced to bypass international banking and rely on cryptocurrencies. He also questioned how foreign acquisitions of Israeli companies could go ahead if the economy drifted toward isolation from global finance.
That path, Eisenkot warned, could push Israeli companies to relocate abroad, wipe out savings and investments, and prompt citizens to leave. He said the fallout could include fewer jobs and shrinking resources for healthcare and education, ultimately undermining national security.
“This is not an imagined nightmare scenario, but Netanyahu’s plan for Israel if he is reelected” on Tuesday, he said.
“This is a real warning. Israel will not withstand another four years like these.”
Backlash from economic circles
Netanyahu’s remarks also drew criticism in Israeli political and economic circles. Israeli media cited an unnamed senior economic official who said using cryptocurrencies and alternative financial technologies to sidestep banking sanctions would not achieve its aim, and that merely proposing it could damage the economy.
The row unfolds amid mounting international pressure on Israel over its war on the Gaza Strip, settlement expansion and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank. The UK and other Western countries have taken measures against individuals and entities tied to Israeli settlements, while worries about wider economic and diplomatic pressure have grown inside Israel.
The exchange comes ahead of Tuesday’s Knesset elections, in which Netanyahu and Eisenkot are vying to lead the next government. In his post, Eisenkot urged Israelis to vote for “a better shared future.”
A former military chief, Eisenkot is among Netanyahu’s leading rivals, and the two are sharply at odds on security and economic policy, national leadership and foreign relations. Israeli politics also remains deeply split over who bears responsibility for the failures around the October 2023 attack, the conduct of the wars that followed, military conscription, the economy, and ties with the US and other Western countries.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment