Former Israeli PM accuses Netanyahu of wasting billions on Iran-related defense projects

TEHRAN,Jan.13(MNA) – Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert accused Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday of spending billions of shekels on unnecessary defense projects related to Iran. In an interview with Channel 2 News, Olmert said that the current prime minister “wasted” NIS 11 billion on “harebrained adventures that haven’t, and won’t, come to fruition,” the Times of Israel reported. “We are dealing with expenditures that go above and beyond multi-year budgets,” said Olmert, adding that he believes “the projects won’t be carried out because 2012 was the decisive year.” “They scared the world for a year and in the end didn’t do anything,” charged Olmert, referring to Netanyahu’s ongoing campaign to lead the world into action against Iran’s nuclear program both by toughening sanctions and by using the threat of military strikes to derail the Islamic Republic’s uranium enrichment drive. Olmert, who resigned the premiership in 2008 after being embroiled in multiple allegations of corruption — most of which he was later cleared of — also addressed comments made last week by former Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin. Diskin had said that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak held sensitive meetings dealing with the alleged Iranian threat, while smoking cigars and drinking alcohol. Olmert confirmed that he too had heard similar accounts and expressed support for Diskin for airing the issue publicly. “Did I hear about it? Yes. Should Diskin have talked about it? I’m glad he didn’t reveal operative details, but when it comes to issues like this, it was his duty to speak up,” said Olmert. “If a man like Diskin, who has behaved responsibly during all his years of public service, reaches the conclusion that the Israeli public must know what’s going on when their fates are being decided on, it is vital he does so.”