Netanyahu receives criticism after outburst about cryptocurrencies: "An attempt"

The prime minister's words came during an interview with TV 10, one of the channels where Netanyahu is never asked any difficult questions. But even the mild-mannered reporter nearly dropped his chin on Friday night when Netanyahu laid out his plan to circumvent the international sanctions that threaten Israel's status as an exporting nation and magnet for investors.

- You must understand that there may be sanctions against the banks, we must prepare in different ways.

Blockchain technology, which is the basis of most cryptocurrencies, is according to Netanyahu the right tool for those who want to parry sanctions:

- I have already given orders to draw up a plan for this.

The protests from the industry have rained down on Netanyahu, even though debate and politics are usually quiet during the Sabbath. Experts say a government-led move to cryptocurrencies would lead to capital flight, the collapse of the local currency and an end to the foreign investment that fuels the capital-intensive export sector.

Shaul Meridor, former chief economist at the Ministry of Finance and today Knesset candidate for liberal Yashar, called Netanyahu's words "an attack":

- This shows that he is no longer in his right mind. Is he recommending that Israel, which is an integral part of the world economy, adopt the isolationist model of North Korea and Iran? Instead, he should hurry to win back the trust of the outside world before we become a pariah state like them.