Israeli opposition warns Netanyahu may use war for votes

Israeli opposition leader Avigdor Lieberman has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of potentially launching military action not for strategic necessity but to boost his electoral prospects. Speaking during a visit to the settlement of Be’eri near Gaza, Lieberman, a former defense minister and head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, stated: “Netanyahu might take military action not only to achieve victory, but solely to serve electoral purposes.”

Dissolution of Knesset on the horizon

Lieberman’s warning comes as Israel’s ruling coalition submitted a bill Wednesday evening to dissolve the Knesset amid a crisis over Haredi military conscription — a move widely seen as an attempt to pre-empt a similar opposition initiative. General elections are currently scheduled for October, but early dissolution would trigger a snap vote. Lieberman stressed: “If a military action is taken, it should be solely for the purpose of making a decision. It is unacceptable to take military action for the purpose of holding elections.”

Netanyahu’s regional ambitions

Lieberman did not specify the nature or location of any potential military action. However, Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened “to change the face of the Middle East” and to make Israel a regional “superpower.” For Türkiye, which has consistently opposed any unilateral military adventures in the region that could destabilise neighbours, Lieberman’s warning adds to concerns that domestic Israeli politics could drive further escalation, particularly against Iran or Hezbollah, with unpredictable consequences for regional security.