Netanyahu pushes for new Iran attack before Israel's election, officials say
Renewed fighting could delay the vote or make it harder for the opposition to form a government afterward.
Published
Israeli officials say Netanyahu pushed for a new attack on Iran ahead of Israel's election. Military leaders resisted. Military chief Eyal Zamir sees no urgent need for a strike. He also fears a separate, less overt operation could provoke a wider response.
Renewed fighting could delay the election or make it harder for the opposition to form a government afterward. Opposition politician Avigdor Liberman has called for a treason investigation. He accused Netanyahu of risking soldiers' lives.
Military leadership is a check on the push for strikes, not only a midterm pledge by Trump. On October 10, Zamir warned that independent action could delay Israel's own election. On October 20, the working assumption was that November 3 was the shared marker for the United States and Israel. Now the election is a variable in the decision on war, not a fixed date. Renewed fighting could postpone the vote or disrupt coalition talks after it. Liberman's accusation shows the dispute over timing has become a domestic fight inside Israel, not only a question of coordination between Washington and Jerusalem.
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