The Russian Embassy in Israel angrily rejected on Tuesday a claim made by Blue and White party co-leader Benny Gantz that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Kremlin had conspired to hurt his election chances.
Gantz made the accusation in a private conversation that was leaked and made public by Israel's Channel 13 on Sunday.
Russian Embassy officials told Israel Hayom that the allegation was senseless slander that could only be described as "nonsense."
According to the Russian officials, the fact that Gantz also said that Netanyahu would like to "hurt or kill me" was even greater testimony as to the nature of the speaker [Gantz] and the level of his seriousness.
"If Netanyahu had a way to hurt or kill me, he'd do it. Would Benjamin Netanyahu, the man I know, wish me harm? The answer is no. Would this Benjamin Netanyahu, on the eve of the election, be willing to see me hurt? Yes, unfortunately, that's what I'm saying," Gantz is heard saying.
Due to the grave nature of the accusation, the Russian Embassy was forced to issue an official denial.
"Russia didn't interfere and doesn't intend to interfere in the elections in Israel, and all the speculations on the matter are completely baseless," the statement said.
Netanyahu's Likud party said in response to the recordings: "Benny Gantz has lost it. After accusing the prime minister of betraying the country, he is saying the prime minister will send people to kill him. If Benny Gantz is showing signs of advanced paranoia after weeks of pressure in an election campaign and after the Iranians hacked his phone, how will he run the country?"
Gantz's comments came amid the backdrop of the recently issued Mueller report, conducted by U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller over allegations that U.S. President Donald Trump and people connected to his election campaign colluded with the Russian government to sway the U.S. presidential election in 2016. The report, as a reminder, completely exonerated Trump.
It should be noted that Gantz himself has had business ties with Viktor Vekselberg, one of the most powerful oligarchs in Russia who has close ties to the Russian government.
