Gadi Eisenkot Slams Netanyahu Over October 7 Failures

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yisrael Hazak!" party, launched a sharp critique against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of "fleeing responsibility" for the failures leading up to the October 7th Hamas attacks. Eisenkot's remarks came in response to an interview given by Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, to Channel 14, where she discussed, among other things, the actions of Democratic Party leader Yair Golan on the morning of the attacks.

In a statement released Tuesday, Eisenkot asserted that on October 7th, "the State of Israel, under Benjamin Netanyahu, abandoned its citizens in the south to their fate against a murderous and despicable terror organization." He credited Israeli civilians themselves, through their "basic solidarity and love for one another," with saving many lives during the onslaught.

Eisenkot argued that a leader who shaped the country's political and security policy for years, and served as prime minister on the morning of the attack, should have taken responsibility and resigned. "Allow this wonderful nation to heal, unite, and win. Not Netanyahu," he stated.

Further attacking Netanyahu, Eisenkot claimed the prime minister led Israel into the disaster with "blindness, incompetence, and disregard for all warning signs." He also defended Yair Golan against criticism, stating, "There are those who claim they 'were not woken up,' and there are those who got up and charged, without asking questions." Eisenkot praised Golan for his decades of service and for demonstrating "responsibility, courage, and heroic life-saving" on October 7th.

Eisenkot concluded by stating, "They will not succeed in confusing good and evil, truth and lies. We will not allow it, the people of Israel will not allow it."