Former Israeli prime minister warns Netanyahu is ‘close to a nervous breakdown’

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has told Jewish News that he suspects current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “very close to a nervous breakdown”.

“I think he is in a deep emotional crisis, very close to a nervous breakdown. That’s what I feel about him. The way he appears on TV, you can see it in his face. And he suffered now from some heart problems which forced him to be hospitalised,” Olmert claimed on Tuesday, referring to Netanyahu’s recent hospitalisation where he had a pacemaker installed.

“Therefore I don’t think he will be able to prevail. Sooner or later things will break down. The reactions of the international community, the Israeli reservist, the High Court of Justice all together will cause major problems (for him),” Olmert added.

Olmert, who was prime minister from 2006-2009, also repeated his warning that Israel is on the verge of a civil war following the passing of the judicial reform, which will prevent the High Court from striking down government decisions and appointments of ministers.

I don’t think he will be able to prevail. Sooner or later things will break down. The reactions of the international community, the Israeli reservist, the High Court of Justice all together will cause major problems (for him),” Olmert added.

“I’m very concerned about the atmosphere, it’s different from anything I can recall. The prime minister, with his group of thugs, have created a feeling of hostility between them and those who aren’t supporting them, which is rare in Israel’s history,” he said.

Olmert isn’t the only one who is concerned about the outbreak of a civil war and the rise in violence on the streets of Israel seen in recent months.

Demonstrators have been attacked by civilians who used their cars to drive into groups of people while others have been pepper sprayed.

Police violence against demonstrators has also risen, in particular in the past couple of weeks, with water cannons being sprayed directly at people protesting peacefully and video documented incident of police using excessive force against demonstrators.

“The police was a lot more aggressive yesterday than ever before. My son, who was at one of the demonstrations, was attacked by a police officers who hit his hip with a baton,” He didn’t do anything, he was just standing there,” Olmert said.

“His doctor told him that the guy who hit him had one thing in mind: how he can stop you from walking. It was a brutal and unnessecary attack. And there were many such event, which were disturbing,” Olmert added.

‘Drunk’ on power

Olmert also commented on the heated debate in Israel over the more than 10,000 soldiers in the IDF reserve, including top pilots, who have announced they will stop showing up for duty after the passing of the law.

“They will ground the Israeli airforce. It’s not a joke. But that top ministers who are calling the pilots cowards and say they should be jailed –  that the prime minister doesn’t react or take measures against those minister – that’s one way of authorising attacks (on them),” Olmert said, referring to Transportation Minister Miri Regev who claimed that soldiers refusing to show up for duty should be jailed.

The government thinks it’s “allowed to do everything” it wants and could proceed with firing the attorney general following the passing of the first judicial reform, Olmert said.

Several ministers in the government have repeatedly called for Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to be fired, accusing her of incompetence and being in bed with the demonstrators.

They want to get rid of the attorney general and all the legal advisors to the ministries.

Firing the attorney general would, however, almost certainly have been struck down by the High Court, which would have deemed it an “unreasonable” decision.

But with the passing to the “reasonableness law”, Olmert says it’s “common wisdom” in Israel that the government wants to fire Baharav-Miara.

“They want to get rid of the attorney general and all the legal advisors to the ministries. They want the advisors to be personally appointed by the ministers, which means they can pick someone from the Likud Central Committee and declare that person as legal advisor without the right credentials, as is requested,” Olmert said.

“There is a total lack of restraint in the exercise of authority. They are acting like drunk people, thinking they can do everything and control everything. They won the election so therefore they are allowed to do everything that comes to their mind,” the former prime minister concluded.