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Akbar Novruz

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under criticism from opposition leaders following reports of a dispute with the country's military chief over an instruction that senior defence officials feared could trigger a confrontation with Iran just days before Israel's parliamentary elections.

According to Israel's Channel 12 News, Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir clashed on Sunday over an undisclosed military instruction, prompting concerns within the security establishment about the timing and potential consequences of the proposed action.

The report claimed that Zamir challenged Netanyahu's directive and demanded legal assurances before proceeding with any military operation.

Sources familiar with the disagreement told Channel 12 that senior military officials were concerned that "the political echelon is trying to exploit the Iranian issue for political momentum."

The allegations have intensified political tensions ahead of Tuesday's legislative elections, with opposition figures questioning whether national security considerations were being influenced by electoral calculations.

Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz denied the report, rejecting suggestions that the government was preparing military action against Iran for political purposes.

Writing on X on Monday, Katz stated that Israel had no intention of launching an attack against Iran before Tuesday's election.

Channel 12 did not disclose the precise nature of the instruction allegedly issued by Netanyahu or provide details about the military operation under consideration.

The broadcaster also reported that the disagreement emerged amid claims that Netanyahu had discussed the possibility of resuming the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran during conversations with US President Donald Trump.

However, the report did not establish whether those discussions were directly connected to the alleged disagreement between Netanyahu and Zamir.

Opposition warns against politicising national security

The allegations prompted strong reactions from Israeli opposition leaders, who accused Netanyahu of potentially placing electoral considerations above the country's security interests.

Gadi Eisenkot, identified as Netanyahu's principal electoral challenger, issued a warning on X on Sunday.

"Don't you dare put your political interests above the security of the state," Eisenkot wrote.

Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party and Eisenkot's political ally, went further, accusing the prime minister of attempting to draw Israel into a military confrontation for political advantage.

"Netanyahu is plainly betraying the country when he wants to drag us into a war," Lieberman told Radio 103FM on Monday.

Lieberman added that he would seek an investigation into Netanyahu "on charges of treason".

The accusations remain political allegations, and no evidence establishing that Netanyahu ordered military action for electoral purposes has been publicly presented in the information reported by Channel 12.