Eisenkot: Netanyahu Received Arab Warnings Before October 7
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS Arabic by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Eisenkot says Netanyahu received Arab warnings before October 7th.
- He claims intelligence indicated a serious threat from Hamas.
- Eisenkot criticizes Netanyahu's evasion of responsibility for the attack.
- He states war objectives, except hostage return, remain unmet.
- Eisenkot believes Israel's international standing has declined.
Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yesh Atid party, stated at the International Counter-Terrorism Conference at Reichman University that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received warnings from multiple Arab sources, including the UAE and Egypt, prior to the October 7th Hamas attacks. Eisenkot, who had access to intelligence from the Shin Bet and the military, asserted that Netanyahu was also warned by Sufian Abu Zaida, an intermediary between Israel and Hamas. Eisenkot further claimed that while the Shin Bet was unaware of an imminent surprise attack, it knew something very serious was going to happen, citing a promise made by Hamas leader Sinwar through Abu Zaida. He criticized Netanyahu for not approving targeted assassinations in Gaza, calling it a "very deep shortcoming."
Eisenkot dismissed Netanyahu's claims regarding the October 7th strategic surprise as an attempt to evade responsibility. He recalled numerous conversations with Netanyahu during his tenure as IDF Chief of Staff, during which the threat of an incursion into Israeli territory was discussed, along with military plans to counter it. Eisenkot expressed surprise that Netanyahu does not remember these discussions, noting that plans for such an incursion existed as early as the 2014 Operation Protective Edge, predating the "Jericho Wall" concept which emerged in 2020.
Looking ahead, Eisenkot stated that the next government should establish a broad-mandate official investigation committee to examine the events of October 7th. He also addressed the war's objectives, asserting that besides the return of hostages, none of the other stated goals have been achieved despite commendable military accomplishments. Eisenkot believes Israel's international standing has deteriorated, attributing this to a perception driven by rhetoric about Israel being "a people that dwells alone," which he described as a curse rather than a blessing.
Commenting on the Flydubai plane incident, Eisenkot suggested that a failure to investigate and learn lessons from past events leads to national disasters. He argued that in a healthy country, the transportation minister would have resigned immediately after such an incident, emphasizing the need for a serious investigation to prevent recurrence.
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