Ehud Barak labels Israel's government as "fascist"

Published January 2nd, 2023 - 12:39 GMT
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak (L)
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak (L) attends the launch of the Democratic Union list, which he formed with newly elected Meretz head Nitzan Horowitz (R) and Stav Shaffir (C) of Labour party, on July 25, 2019 in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv. / AFP / JACK GUEZ

ALBAWABA - The latest to hit at Benjamin Netanyahu and his hardline right-wing Cabinet is Ehud Barak, a former Israeli prime minister from the Labor Party, who described the government as bearing the "signs of fascism."

Barak said Netanyahu's government, which took office last week, is made up of racists, religious fanatics and rightwing extremists and bears the "signs of fascism"

The Times of Israel carried Barak's comments on Netanyahu, whom Barak beat in elections in 1999, but subsequently served under him as defense minister. 

"This government is carrying out a coup in Israel before our eyes, with its racism, corruption, neutering of the justice system, politicization of the police and undermining of the chain of command in the IDF," Barak said. The IDF stands for the Israeli Defense Forces.

“Those seeking to extract themselves from criminal trials have joined forces with racist messianics, who distort Judaism, Zionism and humanity,” he charged in an apparent reference to Netanyahu, who is on trial for graft offenses that he denies. “Together they are bringing down democracy,” he added.

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