Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Lebanese Ministry of Health: Final toll from airstrike on car in Zebdine, Nabatieh District: Two martyrs, four injured
Egyptian media: Indirect talks between Hamas and Israelis begin in Sharm el-Sheikh.
AFP: France's new PM Sebastein Lecornu resigns just hours after unveiling cabinet.
Trump: Technical teams will meet again on Monday in Egypt to discuss and clarify the final details, and the first phase is scheduled to be completed this week
US President Donald Trump: Talks with Hamas have been very successful and are moving at a rapid pace
Local sources in Aleppo: Violent clashes erupt between the SDF and factions affiliated with the transitional authority on the Deir Hafer and Tishrin Dam fronts in the eastern Aleppo countryside
Israeli media: Interceptor missiles fired in an attempt to shoot down the drone
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded amid suspected "enemy aircraft" infiltrating the Eilat area
Israeli media: "Israel" won the battle but lost the war strategically and politically
Israeli media: Ben Gurion Airport's airspace closed to air traffic following missile launch from Yemen

Olmert: Netanyahu in 'nervous breakdown', calls him 'Mr. Bull****'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Politico
  • 8 Nov 2023 15:50
  • 6 Shares
3 Min Read

Former PM Ehud Olmert, after calling Netanyahu a failure, says the priority should be to negotiate with the international community - to involve the return to talks on the formation of a Palestinian state.

  • x
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz in the Kirya military base on Oct. 28, 2023 (AP)
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a press conference with Security Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz in the Kirya military base on Oct. 28, 2023. (AP)

In an interview with Politico, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated that current PM Benjamin Netanyahu is “destroyed emotionally” by his failure in national security and is preparing to take full control of Gaza’s security for an “indefinite period” after the end of the war.

Olmert continued that the priority should be to negotiate with the international community - to involve the return to talks on the formation of a Palestinian state.

“[Netanyahu] has shrunk. He’s destroyed emotionally, that’s for sure. I mean, something terrible happened to him. Bibi has been working all his life on the false pretense that he is Mr. Security. He’s Mr. Bull****,” he said, adding, “Every minute he is prime minister he is a danger to Israel. I seriously mean it. I am certain the Americans understand he is in bad shape.” 

Read more: Haaretz: Netanyahu abandoned "Israel"

“It’s not in Israel’s interests to oversee the security of Gaza,” he noted, adding, “It is in our interests to be able to defend ourselves in a different way than we did before the October 7 attack. But to control Gaza again? No.”

You can't have everything that you wish for

Related News

US House Speaker Johnson faces heat over delay of Epstein files vote

White House concerned about unfolding domestic terrorism conspiracy

Olmert also warned that Netanyahu's failures have caused Western impatience, as he complained of the lack of sober thinking in the Israeli cabinet. 

“There is a lot that we can do, but we can’t do everything that we desire,” he warned.

A mid-October poll even showed that Israelis believe Netanyahu failed to prevent the October 7 events, which exposed a “leadership debacle”. Another survey showed that 44% of respondents see Netanyahu as responsible for October 7, while merely 18% of Israelis believed he does not have to leave office, but 76% want him out.

Even former Israeli Mossad chief Danny Yatom said Netanyahu caused a lot of harm to "Israel," affirming that he continues to do so during the war on Gaza.

'He won't survive politically'

Olmert, however, saw the Israeli move as impossible and that only a Western-intervention force would work, as he expressed fear of "Israel's" continuing failure post-war.

“There is a total lack of planning for the next phase,” he complained. “What are we going to do? Okay, according to Netanyahu, we are going to smash and break down Hamas. And I think, by the way, that we can do it. Then what is the next step? What are we going to do then? Does anyone think about it? We need to present to the international community our idea of an endgame”.

Read next: Biden tells Netanyahu fighting pause could help release some captives

According to Olmert, the issue now is that Netanyahu is “in the state of nervous breakdown. I’m not exaggerating. He’s being squeezed from all sides and his focus seems to be stopping being thrown out of office the day the war stops and even maybe before then”.

“You expect him now to talk about the second phase and the third phase. He’s not certain he will survive politically this phase,” he added.

  • United States
  • Palestine
  • Israel
  • Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Gaza
  • Ehud Olmert
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

Iraq at a crossroads: A new war front?

  • West Asia
  • 30 Sep 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Hezbollah's representative in Iran, Sayyed Abdullah Safieddine, during an interview with Al Mayadeen which aired on October 6, 2025 (Al Mayadeen)
Politics

Tehran never interferes in Hezbollah decisions: Representative in Iran

Smoke billows over the Gaza Strip following an Israeli bombardment, as seen from southern Palestine, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Indirect talks for a ceasefire in Gaza begin in Sharm El-Sheikh: Egypt

Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) prepare to attend a military parad in Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Tuesday, August 12, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Security forces seal Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh districts

Amsterdam Captain Mohammed Ali Mohiuddin, who took part in the Global Sumud mission to Gaza, talks to Al Mayadeen on October 6, 2025 (Screengrab)
Politics

GSF captain says despite abuse, 'Israel weaker than spider's web'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS