Ex-Israeli PM slams Netanyahu's Türkiye escalation as reckless

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak launched a scathing critique of Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of relations with Türkiye on Wednesday, describing the current premier's deliberate escalation as both "reckless and stupid." In a post on the social media platform X, Barak questioned which characterization was more fitting, adding that the policy "strongly reeks of a political motive to go into elections with a string of security tensions that would fuel public anxiety." The former leader's remarks come amid heightened strains between Ankara and Tel Aviv, with Netanyahu's government adopting an increasingly confrontational stance toward Türkiye.

Barak warns against treating Türkiye as enemy

Barak emphasized that Türkiye is "neither Iran nor Assad's Syria," underscoring that no problem between the two nations is beyond resolution through diplomatic channels. "There is no strategic problem with Türkiye that cannot be resolved, mitigated, or postponed over the long term through discreet contacts coordinated with the United States and its influence in Turkey and Syria," he wrote. Barak accused Netanyahu of having "completely gone off the rails," suggesting that the prime minister is focused not on Israel's security but on his own political survival—like a "compulsive gambler"—amid the "complete failure" to achieve the war's objectives and his expected electoral defeat.

Alienating allies and damaging security

The former premier warned that Netanyahu's reckless conduct is "deeply alarming our few remaining allies and friends around the world and in the region." He argued that it will "take a long time" to repair the security and diplomatic damage already inflicted, adding that "there is no point in adding further reckless measures" that could ultimately backfire. Barak's intervention reflects growing domestic criticism in Israel over Netanyahu's foreign policy approach, particularly regarding Türkiye, a key regional power with which Israel has historically maintained complex but functional relations.