Israeli Minister Shikli Blames Oslo Accords Promoters for Gaza Border Failures

Minister Amichai Chikli of the Likud party deflected responsibility for the failures leading to the October 7th Hamas attacks on the Gaza border communities, instead pointing fingers at those who advocated for the Oslo Accords and the Gaza disengagement.

During a radio interview on Thursday, Chikli was asked if residents of the Gaza border region deserved an apology for the security lapses. He responded by stating that while there was a severe security failure and systemic underperformance, he rejected any implication of malicious intent on his part or the current government's. "Asking me to say sorry is like blaming us, yes? As if we did this out of malice, and I deny that," Chikli stated.

Instead, he asserted, "People who pushed for the Oslo Accords, who pushed for the disengagement, those people should ask for forgiveness." Chikli expressed frustration with the framing of the question, stating, "There's a limit to what I'm willing to hear from people who, all along, promoted exactly the things that led us to these catastrophes. I opposed the disengagement and the Oslo Accords. What is this, asking for forgiveness from the residents of the Gaza envelope?"

Chikli concluded the interview abruptly, emphasizing that while security failures and underperformance must be investigated, he would not accept blame for intentional wrongdoing. The interview also touched upon related criticisms, with other figures like Eli Sharabi commenting on Prime Minister Netanyahu and Bezalel Smotrich, and Rom Bar-Levsky stating that those responsible for the October 7th massacre sit in the Knesset.