Channel 14 Host Claims Netanyahu's Campaign Against Leftists Failed

Shimon Riklin, a prominent supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a host on Channel 14, launched a strong attack on the political left, claiming their campaign against Netanyahu regarding security warnings has failed. In a post on his X account, Riklin stated that a "complete, funded, and organized campaign by Netanyahu" that belittled warnings had been "thrown into the garbage bin of history." He then pivoted, accusing his political rivals on the left of being the ones who truly disregarded warnings.

Riklin expressed optimism about the political implications of recent events, describing the mood in the right-wing camp as hopeful for a future right-wing victory. He also referenced a tweet by Gadi Taub, who sarcastically compared Netanyahu's alleged dismissal of warnings to historical instances like Golda Meir's handling of the Yom Kippur War warnings and Roosevelt's response to Pearl Harbor, suggesting that warnings were sent via "unregistered mail" and hidden from security agencies.

This defense of Netanyahu follows Riklin's previous strong criticism of Israel's security leadership. He asserted that no one in Israel, not even former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, received advance warning of a potential Hamas attack. Riklin accused Bar of being preoccupied with letters against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, briefings against settlers, and protecting draft-dodging friends, while military leaders like Herzi Halevi and Aviv Kochavi were characterized as arrogant or complacent.