Amit Segal and Shlomi Eldar Clash Over Book on October 7th Lead-up

A sharp public dispute has erupted between Israeli commentator Amit Segal and journalist Shlomi Eldar concerning Eldar's new book, co-authored with Ruti Yuval. Segal criticized the book's portrayal of events preceding and following the October 7th Hamas attack, alleging a contradiction in its arguments. Segal claimed the book links the Gaza Strip's escalation to a lack of economic prospects while simultaneously criticizing Israel for not acting more forcefully against Hamas leadership before the massacre.

Segal also questioned specific details within the book and the reliability of the sources cited by Eldar and Yuval. These criticisms, as presented by Segal, are part of the ongoing debate and have not been independently verified.

Eldar responded sarcastically to Segal's critique, suggesting that his and Yuval's book had an "enormous influence" on Prime Minister Netanyahu's policies over the years. He questioned why he wasn't privy to intelligence materials or security discussions if this influence was indeed so significant. Eldar further labeled Segal as "pathetic" and in a "tantrum."

Segal retorted, urging Eldar to address the substance of his claims rather than resorting to insults. While clarifying he didn't believe Eldar and Yuval had "enormous influence," Segal reiterated his criticism of Eldar's past positions regarding Hamas and military actions in Gaza. Segal concluded by advising Eldar to respond to facts with facts, not with abuse, wishing him a happy holiday.