Businessman Roni Mana Accuses Netanyahu of Responsibility for Oct. 7 Attacks

Businessman Roni Mana, a former associate of the Netanyahu family turned sharp critic, has directly accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of responsibility for the deaths, rapes, and injuries of people during the October 7th Hamas attacks. Mana stated that Netanyahu was informed of impending danger but failed to act, and criticized him for shaking hands with "the murderer of all murderers" and for returning parts of Judea and Samaria, while also recalling Netanyahu's past statements supporting a two-state solution.

Mana's accusations came in response to a joint photo released by leaders of the center-left bloc, aiming to project a united front against Netanyahu's government. The bloc, including Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Yair Golan, also published a roadmap document outlining their strategy to replace the current government. Key points include increasing voter turnout among their supporters, agreeing to a ceasefire on mutual attacks during the campaign, forming a professional team to draft principles for the next government, and close cooperation in media outreach, including combating fake news.

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded to the opposition's display by posting an AI-generated image on X depicting the "change bloc" leaders alongside Arab politicians Mansour Abbas and Ahmed Tibi. He claimed that Eisenkot would form a "left-wing government with Lieberman, Yair Golan, Bennett, and the Arab parties," adding that "only a large Likud will stop them." This image sparked significant online discussion.

Mana further attacked Netanyahu, suggesting his voters were "stupid and brainless" or that the Prime Minister himself was mentally unwell, predicting Netanyahu's defeat and the liberation of the country he allegedly destroyed.

The opposition's roadmap document, however, reportedly lacks a mechanism for selecting a leader for the bloc, a crucial and sensitive issue that remains unaddressed regarding who would be the agreed-upon candidate to form a government if they win.