Israeli Opposition Leaders Demand Probe into Netanyahu's Pre-Oct. 7 Knowledge

Four prominent Israeli opposition leaders have called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into intelligence that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly received before the October 7th Hamas attacks. The leaders, Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan, issued a joint statement demanding to know what Netanyahu knew, when he knew it, and why he allegedly failed to brief the security establishment or take necessary actions to protect Israeli citizens.

Their demand follows a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which claimed Netanyahu received a direct warning about Hamas's readiness for a large-scale attack approximately ten days before October 7th. The warning was reportedly conveyed by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Netanyahu's office has vehemently denied the report, labeling it an "absolute lie." The opposition leaders, however, stated that the information in the Haaretz investigation necessitates a full inquiry. They asserted that Netanyahu and his "October 7th government" partners are unfit to remain in their positions.

The opposition leaders pledged to work in coordination and with responsibility to prevent the government from causing further catastrophe. This call comes amid ongoing political divisions in Israel regarding accountability for the failures preceding the October 7th attacks, with continued demands for investigations into the performance of both political and security leadership prior to the event.