Ex-Shin Bet chief: Netanyahu is not 'Mr. security' as he claims

Yesh Atid MK Yaakov Peri tells Jpost that another prime minister would better serve Israel's security interests.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Ex-Shin Bet chief: Netanyahu is not 'Mr. security' as he claims
Former Shin Bet chief and Yesh Atid MK Yaakov Peri challenged the notion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the best candidate for ensuring that Israel's security needs are met.
Speaking with The Jerusalem Post as part of the Election Arena, an online video series in which candidates for the upcoming Knesset discuss the issues with Jpost reporters, Peri said that Netanyahu is not "Mr. security," as he claims to be.
The former Shin Bet chief said that the public was mistaken in its perception that Netanyahu is stronger on security than other candidates, such as Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid or Zionist Union leader Issac Herzog.
"Netanyahu is shown as Mr. Security, but people are not looking into the details. They say 'he has a lot of experience and he has been prime minister during several operations and we are not ready to try someone else.' But that is a mistake, it's a horrible mistake," Peri claimed.
"Based on what I know, and I've know Mr. Netanyahu for the last 25 years, there is no doubt that another prime minister, and another government, and another cabinet will do it even better," he added.
Peri said that Netanyahu had misled the people by promising that Israel would parley its military gains in this summer's Gaza war into a diplomatic achievement, which did not occur.
"The prime minister has to take care of the future of our children and our grandchildren, and Mr. Netanyahu is not doing it."
 
Peri will further discuss the security threats facing Israel and the Palestinian issue later today on JPost.com.
The Jerusalem Post Election Arena will feature weekly interviews with politicians on key issues ahead of the March 17 election. In the inaugural episode, Jerusalem Post Knesset Correspondent Lahav Harkov interviewed Tzipi Livni, followed the next week by Political Correspondent Gil Hoffman interviewing Likud Minister Yuval Steinitz.