It is not a smart move to conflict with intelligence and the military when the country you rule is at war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also understood this, apologizing last night for a post on social networks in which he placed the blame on the security forces and the military for failing to prevent the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7. First accusations, then backtracking, and finally apologies. A retraction also followed today, October 29, accusing intelligence and army leaders of failing to warn him of Hamas’ plans. I fully support “the heads of all security agencies” and “the chiefs of staff, commanders and soldiers of the army who are at the front and fighting for our country.” It is not common for an Israeli leader to step back.
In a later-deleted post yesterday, the Prime Minister reiterated that he was not responsible for the failure to prevent the Hamas attack and claimed he had received no warning of the Islamist organisation’s intention to launch a war against Israel. Netanyahu pointed the finger at security agencies, particularly the IDF’s military intelligence chief Aharon Haliva and Shin Bet (internal security) chief Ronen Bar.
But his statements sparked a wave of controversy: former Israeli army chief and National League leader Benny Gantz asked the prime minister to retract his statement and “stop dealing with the issue.” Gantz did not like this and wrote that the comment “harmed the resilience of the population and forces”. This is the first public sign of tension between the two leaders.
He was joined by Minister of National Security and far-right leader Itamar Ben Gvir: “The problem is not in specific warnings, but in the completely wrong concept. The policy of containment, illusory deterrence and the purchase of temporary peace. ‘giving advice at an exorbitant price’ is the root of the whole problem.”
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
