Blue&White Chairman Benny Gantz announced on Friday that he fired his close adviser Israel Bachar, following a recording that was exposed by News 12 in which Bachar is critical of Gantz.
Nevertheless, Gantz said: “An initial clarification indicates that Bachar was caught in a planned ambush that included personal exploitation, the use of improper means and fraud – to be dealt with using legal means. The manipulative involvement of political parties will also be revealed soon.”
Which raises the inescapable question: if he was duped and didn’t really mean what he said, why did you fire him?
Add that one to the other inescapable Gantz-related question, about the criminal investigation of his failed company: if he claims he didn’t know anything about those crimes – what kind of a CEO was he?
But I’m digressing. Here’s the transcript of the recording of Gantz’s close adviser, unveiled Thursday on News 12:
Advisor Bachar: “She (Blue&White MK Omer Yankelevich – DI)) says he (Gantz) is stupid and a zero times zero, and she says ‘he must not become prime minister.'”
Acquaintance: “They’re going to bring danger, I’ve already told you, a very big danger. They will interfere with correct decision-making, with the attempts made by people around the world to attack Iran, they will halt it and by halting it, what do you know?
Bachar: I know that.
Acquaintance: What, what do you know, explain it to me, what do you know?
Bechar: That he doesn’t have the courage to attack Iran.
Acquaintance: Like, because that’s the kind of man he is?
Bachar: Because that’s the man.
Acquaintance: And then what could happen, my beloved? Do you understand?
Bachar: A danger to the People of Israel.
The Likud responded Friday morning, saying: “Gantz fired his closest adviser Israel Bachar because he told the truth.”
Blue&White issued a statement saying Gantz instructed the campaign team to proceed with a thorough investigation of the affair. Gantz also spoke with MK Yankelevich about the things Bachar had attributed to her. She, for her part, stressed that she had never said that Benny Gantz was “stupid and a zero times zero.”
Bachar stated Friday morning: “Without going into details, the event that was publicized is part of a campaign of fraud and attempts to cheat that has reached a new record of lowliness. In time, we will do something about it. In any case, in light of the publicity, I accept his decision to end my role on the campaign team.”