Netanyahu Accused of Altering Documents Ahead of October 7th

A report by Ynet and Yediot Ahronot alleges that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented altered versions of official documents and discussions to the State Comptroller and the public, omitting or changing key warnings and recommendations made by security officials in the months leading up to the October 7th Hamas attack. The investigation, which compared original documents with those presented by Netanyahu, claims to reveal omissions, distortions, and falsehoods concerning Israel's preparedness and response strategy.

Gen. Amit Saar, recommending a policy of "zero precision strikes in the Gaza Strip, even at the cost of a day of battle" to prevent Hamas from acquiring precise missiles. Netanyahu's version, however, allegedly omitted the recommendation to act even at the price of escalation, instead stating Hamas was strengthening at a "moderate slope."

The report further details that on April 6, 2023, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi recommended targeted strikes in Gaza. However, Netanyahu reportedly stated on May 9, "We have no interest in entering a campaign against Hamas!" and conditioned preparations for eliminating senior Hamas officials on Hamas's involvement in fighting. Bar repeatedly warned of an impending conflict, urging proactive strikes and preparations for a broad campaign, while Netanyahu is quoted as prioritizing "peace with Saudi Arabia" and advocating for "very gentle steering and maintaining security stability."

Netanyahu's presented version of a Palestinian affairs assessment reportedly cut off a sentence mid-way, omitting the part that warned Palestinians could "complicate the situation and bring it closer" to a multi-front war. Warnings about potential escalation from Lebanon, and Iran and Hezbollah's involvement, were also allegedly left out. The Prime Minister's office, in a document submitted to the State Comptroller in April 2024, stated that directives included delaying confrontations and preserving Hamas as an "effective, restrained, and restraining governing address," a policy that allegedly "permeated the IDF's operational concept," contradicting Netanyahu's current narrative.

The Likud party responded to the report, calling it "false political propaganda" aimed at overthrowing the right-wing government and establishing a Palestinian state. They asserted that Netanyahu received no prior warning of the October 7th attack, citing testimonies from various international figures and governments. The party also claimed that security officials repeatedly stated Hamas was deterred and favored a settlement, advocating for humanitarian aid to "maintain quiet," directly contradicting the narrative presented in the Ynet and Yediot Ahronot report.