Former Shin Bet Chief Diskin: Netanyahu Unreliable, 'Possessed' By Iran

Yuval Diskin, the former chief of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on Friday leveled sharp criticism against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak over their decision-making process.

In an interview published in Yedioth Ahronoth, Diskin, who served as Shin Bet chief from 2005-2011, cited alcohol consumption, cigar smoking and the fact that Netanyahu is "possessed" by Iran as reasons to oppose his premiership.

"Netanyahu is scared, fickle and shirking responsibility," Diskin told Yediot. "There is a crisis of leadership here, a crisis of values and total contempt for the public. Maybe people will think I'm exaggerating, but I’m telling you: From close up it looks even worse."

Diskin based his criticism on "an important discussion about Iran," in which Netanyahu, Barak and former foreign minister Avigdor Liberman allegedly were "sitting and smoking cigars in front of everyone."

According to Diskin, "The defense minister [Barak] gets up and walks over to a corner and pours himself a little drink from time to time. In the middle of such a sensitive, confidential meeting, he is standing with a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other, in front of the IDF's officers and intelligence officials."

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