Netanyahu Directly Blames Military, Intel Chiefs for October 7 Failures

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directly accused IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar of failing to prevent the October 7th Hamas attack, moving beyond previous indirect criticisms. This accusation follows a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which detailed a conversation between Netanyahu and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed shortly before the massacre.

According to the Haaretz report, bin Zayed warned Netanyahu of an impending Hamas attack that could cause bloodshed and destabilize the region, potentially harming the Abraham Accords. Netanyahu allegedly dismissed the threat, focusing instead on the West Bank. While Netanyahu denies the conversation took place, an Emirati source confirmed the warning was given, and another source familiar with the call corroborated its occurrence. The UAE's Foreign Ministry offered a non-committal response, stating they do not comment on "reports or speculations" but emphasized open communication channels with Israel.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated the report was "accurate" but did not elaborate on his source. The report also suggests Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar sent a threatening message, including the word "earthquake," through intermediaries, which was relayed to Israeli security officials, including Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, by mid-September. A discussion about this intelligence occurred in Netanyahu's presence on September 17th, though interpretations varied, with some considering it might refer to the abduction of Elizabeth Tsurkov rather than a large-scale military assault.

Netanyahu's office has initiated an investigation into security logs to verify entry records for sensitive meetings, specifically addressing claims that a secure communication device was used for the alleged call with bin Zayed, bypassing standard phone records. The Prime Minister's office insists no such entry was documented. The report also touches upon alleged warnings from Egypt, which Netanyahu's office has also vehemently denied, calling them a "lie" already debunked.

The revelations have ignited a political firestorm, with opposition leaders demanding Netanyahu account for his knowledge and actions prior to October 7th. Netanyahu, in turn, is attempting to shift blame to the military and intelligence leadership, claiming Halevi and Bar identified worrying signs before the attack but did not update him sufficiently, potentially missing an opportunity to prevent the massacre.