Netanyahu Says Shin Bet Using Mafia-Style Threats Against Him

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu says that the head of the Shin Bet head is conducting a “campaign of blackmail against him,” after the previous chief Nadav Argaman said in an interview that he has information that could harm the Prime Minister.

. Argaman told N12, “If I come to the conclusion that the prime minister has decided to act against the law, there will be no choice—I will say everything I know and have withheld until now.”

“It is absolutely clear that I have a great deal of knowledge, I could use it, but I choose not to—for the reasons I mentioned.”

Netanyahu responded, saying, “tonight, another dangerous red line for Israeli democracy was crossed.”

“Never, in the entire history of Israel and in the entire history of democracies, has the former head of the secret organization carried out live blackmail threats against a sitting prime minister. This crime joins a whole campaign of blackmail with threats through media briefings in recent days, conducted by the current head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar.”

“Let it be clear,” he warned. “Mafia-style criminal threats will not deter me. I will do what is necessary to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel.”

Argaman, for his part, said he had not made a threat, and that heads of Shin Bet “know a lot” but are not “walking around with the intention to threaten.” However he also added that “if we think that there are things that we know about, and they endanger the national security of the State of Israel, we will use them according to the law.”