Israeli Minister Refuses to Rule Out Betrayal on Oct. 7

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declined to explicitly deny the possibility of internal betrayal contributing to the October 7th Hamas attack, following controversial remarks by Sara Netanyahu. During an interview with Channel 14, Sara Netanyahu alluded to "internal betrayal" that facilitated the assault. When questioned about these statements in a subsequent interview, Katz stated, "I cannot address something I do not know." He added that based on military intelligence, the failure on October 7th was "colossal."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously released a video asserting his belief that the October 7th failure was due to a "flaw" rather than betrayal. Katz made his remarks while participating in a conference organized by the website "Walla." He also addressed the escalating regional tensions, stating that the Israeli military is prepared for any military action from Iran.

Katz emphasized that he and the Prime Minister are in constant contact with the military, monitoring the situation daily and even at midnight, taking all intelligence seriously. He declared, "We are ready. The army, including the Air Force, is ready to attack Iran. If they attack us, we will respond forcefully, regardless of anyone else."

He further elaborated that while Iran is currently attacking the entire region except Israel, there remains a possibility of a direct attack on Israel. Katz noted that Iran often targets Israel during Jewish holidays due to antisemitism, a pattern observed in the past. He reiterated Israel's readiness for both defensive and offensive actions, stating, "If they attack us because of Judea and Samaria, or because of Gaza, or for any reason, our planes are ready to take off."