Ben-Gvir Blames Netanyahu for Oct. 7 Failures, Cites Misinformation

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bears responsibility for the October 7th Hamas attacks, but asserted that Netanyahu was misled by military intelligence chief Aharon Haliva and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Ben-Gvir, who leads the Otzma Yehudit party, explained his criticism stems from his differing approach to Gaza, claiming he was dismissed by senior officials, including Netanyahu, who allegedly told him "professionals say nothing will happen from Gaza" just a week before the attack.

Ben-Gvir also criticized the decision to transfer millions of dollars to Gaza, stating he would have "flipped the table" if he had been in the security cabinet at the time. He claimed the decision was not made in the security cabinet and recalled his past disagreements with government decisions, which he believes were ultimately proven correct. He further alleged that Netanyahu sidelined him, despite his warnings.

Recent reports suggest that Netanyahu received multiple warnings prior to October 7th, including a third warning from Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in early October 2023, after previous Egyptian alerts were reportedly ignored. The Wall Street Journal and Haaretz newspaper also reported warnings from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed. Netanyahu's office has denied these reports.

Looking ahead, Ben-Gvir announced his intention to seek the position of Defense Minister in the next government, promising a "decisive" approach to security rather than one of "containment," which he believes the Israeli public desires.