Hostage Survivor Blames Netanyahu, Criticizes Shin Bet and National Division

Rom Barslavsky, a survivor of the October 7th Hamas attack, has sharply criticized Israel's political and security establishment. Speaking from his home, where he is marking the events for the first time, Barslavsky expressed his views in a candid interview with the Knesset Channel.

Barslavsky stated unequivocally that Prime Minister Netanyahu is "definitely guilty" and that he will not vote for him. However, he qualified this by saying he does not expect the Prime Minister to personally engage in combat. Instead, Barslavsky directed significant security criticism towards intelligence agencies, specifically calling for a discussion about the General Security Service (Shin Bet). He conveyed a profound sense of abandonment, stating, "There was no security in the State of Israel."

The interview also delved into what Barslavsky described as the "politics of bereavement" and his feeling of exclusion from commemoration events. He spoke painfully about the unequal treatment of survivors and families, highlighting a severe internal division among former hostages, which he characterized as a "serious rift between right-wing and left-wing hostages." Barslavsky implied criticism of speaker selections at memorial ceremonies and the impact of political statements, suggesting that a survivor who thanked the Prime Minister would not be allowed to speak at a memorial event.