Ofter Winter, the ex-general leading the right-wing People of Israel party, on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party of seeking to “destroy” him ahead of next month’s election.

Winter added later that private investigators were sent after him and that he and members of his party received hate messages on their phones.

Likud responded by demanding he retract the allegations and threatened to sue for defamation.

In a speech to supporters in Rishon Lezion, Winter accused Likud lawmakers and candidates of saying things like, “We need to bring him down, it’s come time to destroy him.”

His remarks referenced fears in Netanyahu’s party that Winter’s party may fall short of entering the Knesset, or cause another right-wing party to receive too little support. If the party’s votes are wasted, it could help Netanyahu’s opponents achieve a majority in the Knesset.

Leading up to the deadline to submit Knesset slates last week, Netanyahu had urged small parties in his camp to merge, including Winter’s, but Winter refused to do so. He has said he will endorse Netanyahu but has also said the government must pass a law mandating universal conscription before he joins the coalition.

“Very unfortunately, aides and advisors to the prime minister are giving him terrible advice,” Winter said, according to a transcript of his remarks distributed by his........

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