Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has denied allegations that he wasted billions of dollars on a potential strike against Iran that never took place.
Former PM Ehud Olmert levelled the claim against the incumbent in the run up to elections on January 22.
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 2 television on Friday, Olmert said that Netanyahu spent approximately $3 billion on "illusionary security escapades that have not been implemented and will not be implemented", according to Reuters.
Olmert, who once led the centrist Kadima party, did not mention Iran by name but Israeli media claim that it was apparent what he was trying to say.
Israel and the West have become increasingly concerned with Iran’s alleged plans to create a nuclear weapon.
At the United Nations General Assembly in September last year, Netanyahu held up a cartoon picture of bomb with a ‘red line’ which he said if Iran crossed, would legitimise military intervention.
The Islamic Republic claim that its nuclear ambitions are purely for domestic energy purposes.
Netanyahu responded to the accusations on Israeli Army Radio, saying, “This is a strange and irresponsible statement. I will not specify the sums of our defense expenditure.”
Adding "I will say that we have developed offensive and defensive capabilities for close and distant theatres and I think that this is a very important investment for the state of Israel."
