Author Criticizes Exploitation of October 7th for Political Gain

Author Meir Uziel argues that using the October 7th massacre for partisan political attacks, specifically against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demonstrates a failure to learn from the event. He contends that while criticism is valid, shouting "Bibi is guilty" or "Bibi's massacre" is an exploitation of the victims' blood. Uziel contrasts this with the actual question asked by those in danger on October 7th: "Where is the army?" not "Where is Bibi?".

Uziel expresses dismay over recent high school elections in Ramat Gan, where the Likud and Netanyahu received a low percentage of votes, questioning if young people are unaffected by the ongoing trial against Netanyahu and the perceived injustices of the legal system. He also criticizes the support for Naftali Bennett, whom he describes as having manipulated his way to the premiership.

The author draws a parallel to the Yom Kippur War, suggesting that a similar failure to learn occurred then. He points out that the "elite" government of Golda Meir, which won a record 56 mandates for the Alignment party, was also surprised, even more so than in the October 7th attack. Despite this, the subsequent election saw a massive return of support for the same political camp, with Golda Meir remaining Prime Minister and Moshe Dayan as Defense Minister.

Uziel laments the continued political division and hatred in Israel, which he believes have not ceased since October 7th. He asserts that if the disaster is exploited solely for political gain, the nation cannot defend itself against future surprises, which he believes are already being planned. He notes that during pre-October 7th protests, there were no calls to attack Gaza, and no signs warning of an impending assault, suggesting a collective blindness to the threat.