Former Israeli premier Olmert slams Netanyahu for Iran spending

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert slammed current Premier Benjamin Netanyahu for wasting billions on "crazy adventures" against Iran that never materialized, in an interview that appeared Saturday, dpa reported.

The comments come just weeks ahead of national elections, which will partially be decided on whether Israelis feel that Netanyahu's hardline stance on Iran has made them more or less safe.

Olmert said the 11 billion shekels (2.9 billion dollars) spent on preparing possible attacks upon Iran - which Israel says is building a nuclear bomb, possibly for use against Israel - was, in the end, "used for crazy adventures that never became reality and never will," said Olmert, according to the Times of Israel.

The administration "set the world into a state of fear for a year and, in the end, did nothing," said Olmert, looking back at a year during which Israel had more than once threatened an attack against Iran to knock out its nuclear capabilities.

Netanyahu's campaign lashed out, noting that Olmert, who has been found guilty of breach of trust charges, was "the last person who should moralize about Prime Minister Netanyahu," noting that the current premier had strengthened Israel in the face of global threats.