Ex-IDF Chief Dan Halutz Slams Netanyahu Over Pre-Oct. 7 Warnings

Former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz has strongly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting he received explicit warnings about a potential Hamas attack days before the October 7th massacre and deliberately concealed this information. Halutz's remarks came in response to a report in the newspaper Haaretz, which alleged that Netanyahu was informed of the threat during a conversation with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed.

Halutz stated his belief that the conversation with bin Zayed did occur, reasoning that the UAE president would have denied it if it hadn't. He asserted that there are "too many supporting reasons" to believe Netanyahu knew more than he revealed to those tasked with addressing the threat. "He knew and concealed it," Halutz claimed, adding that he couldn't fathom the prime minister's mindset, referring to him as a "psychopath."

Speculating on Netanyahu's motives, Halutz suggested the prime minister might have felt pressured by Qatar due to financial flows to Hamas and feared that acting on the intelligence could provoke regional instability. He also addressed reports that Hamas itself had issued a warning before the call with bin Zayed and that a security discussion convened by Netanyahu concluded without a decision.

Halutz emphasized that the responsibility for decisions rests with the prime minister, comparing the situation to a film where the lead actor is blamed if the movie is poor. He noted that Netanyahu often leaves discussions open-ended, avoiding definitive conclusions that would necessitate action. While acknowledging a "total and widespread failure" involving everyone, Halutz singled out Netanyahu as the one remaining in the spotlight, urging the public not to re-elect a leader who experienced such a comprehensive failure.