Israel: Olmert reveals strategic threat greater than nuclear Iran

Ehud Olmert

27 August 2022; MEMO: Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert considers the possibility of Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu and extremist Itamar Ben-Gvir reaching government as: "The greatest strategic danger that threatens Israel more than nuclear Iran."

Olmert expressed in statements published by Israeli media outlets: "Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir potentially taking office is the greatest strategic danger threatening Israel more than nuclear Iran. I suggest we focus on this danger because it is a greater threat to us than anything else."

Maariv newspaper's opinion poll indicates that the right-wing camp led by Netanyahu could win 58 seats, distributed as follows: 31 for Likud, 8 for Otzma Yehudit led by Ben-Gvir, 8 for Shas, 7 for United Torah Judaism and 4 for the Religious Zionist Party led by Bezalel Smotrich.

Olmert also blamed Netanyahu for the deterioration of the situation regarding the Iranian nuclear threat, asserting: "He is to blame more than any other official for the fact that Iran is closer to building a bomb."

He noted that Netanyahu influenced former US President Donald Trump to withdraw from the nuclear agreement, which advanced Iran's progress in the nuclear file more than any other factor.