Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued to insist Wednesday that Iran had obtained "sensitive information" regarding his political rival, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, after reportedly hacking the former Israel Defense Forces chief's private cellphone, despite Tehran denying the accusation earlier in the day.
With the two candidates engaged in a bitter battle for public opinion, Netanyahu said that Gantz and his Blue and White No. 2, former Finance Minister Yair Lapid, were "panicking" as a result of the alleged hack, and called on Gantz to "reveal" what information Iran had obtained.
"Lapid and Gantz are panicking because Iran hacked Gantz's phone and took sensitive material from it. Lapid and Gantz's hysteria raises difficult questions. Benny Gantz, what are you hiding from the Israeli public? What do the Iranians know about you that you are hiding from us? What material do the Iranians have on you?" Netanyahu said.
Channel 12 News reported last week that the Shin Bet security agency had informed the party leader that his phone had been breached shortly after he announced his election bid. Iranian programmers reportedly got hold of his personal details and text messages.
The Shin Bet has refused to comment, but Netanyahu, who is as prime minister commands the Shin Bet, has used the report as fodder for constant attacks against Gantz.
"How can you stand as prime minister against Iran, our number one enemy, when Iran has sensitive material against you?" Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
"This is not a matter of gossip. It's a matter of national security. The only way for you not to be subject to blackmail is to reveal everything to the public."
'@yairlapid and @gantzbe are panicking because #Iran hacked Gantz's phone and took sensitive material from there. Benny Gantz, what are you hiding from the Israeli public?' @netanyahu asks: #IsraElections2019 pic.twitter.com/cqdDOZbIWq
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) March 20, 2019
Blue and White dismissed Netanyahu's comments and accused the prime minister of trying to repeat this line of attack just so recent reports of questionable financial dealings pertaining to Case 3,000 would go away.
The case refers to alleged conflict of interest and fraud by some Israeli officials during the negotiations over the procurement of naval vessels from Germany in 2015.
Netanyahu is not a suspect in the case, but recently questionable transactions involving his personal finances have emerged, and some have suggested a possible link to the affair.
"Mr. Netanyahu, in the submarine affair you have to answer only one question by tonight's evening news broadcast - why did you get 16 million shekels (4.45 million dollars) from the company that manufactures the submarines, and why did you hide this from the public?" Blue and White asked in a statement.
On Thursday, Iran's Foreign Ministry denied that is was behind the reported hack into Gantz's phone and accused Israel of fabricating the incident to "create a hostile atmosphere against Iran."
Gantz is the only real challenger positioned to potentially unseat Netanyahu in the upcoming April 9 vote, while the incumbent leader also battles against a possible indictment in three corruption cases.
#IsraElections2019 candidate @gantzbe's phone has been allegedly hacked by #Iran.
'How can you stand as prime minister against #Iran — our number one enemy — when Iran has sensitive material against you,' rival @netanyahu says: pic.twitter.com/a7TFA1uLUD
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) March 20, 2019
