Ex-Netanyahu Aide's Testimony Casts Doubt on PM's Account of Oct. 7
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Avi Gil, former military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has given testimony contradicting Netanyahu's account of the events surrounding the October 7th Hamas attack. Gil called a 55-page document submitted by Netanyahu to the State Comptroller "false" and stated that intelligence received on the night of October 6th-7th would not have led to different actions by the Prime Minister. He also raised concerns about a protocol change, suggesting it was an attempt to obscure evidence. Netanyahu's office denied Gil's claims, accusing him of failing to wake the Prime Minister and promoting conspiracy theories.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former military secretary Avi Gil claims Netanyahu's document on Oct. 7 is false and misleading.
- Gil stated that earlier intelligence on Oct. 6-7 would not have changed Netanyahu's actions.
- Gil reported a protocol time change in January 2024, suggesting it was an attempt to obscure evidence.
- Netanyahu's office accused Gil of failing to wake the Prime Minister and promoting conspiracy theories.
- Gil asserted that Netanyahu cannot evade responsibility for the events of Oct. 7.
Avi Gil, former military secretary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has provided testimony that directly challenges the Prime Minister's account of events leading up to and following the October 7th Hamas attack. In a recent interview, Gil, who was privy to discussions and decisions within the Prime Minister's office, stated that a 55-page document submitted by Netanyahu to the State Comptroller regarding October 7th is "false" and presents a "partial picture" that does not reflect reality.
Gil's testimony addresses key points of contention, including intelligence received on the night of October 6th-7th. He explained that while intelligence did flow in, the duty officer did not wake Netanyahu at 3:55 AM, assessing the information as not yet requiring it. Gil himself woke Netanyahu later after being informed by the Shin Bet chief's office about the unfolding attack. This contradicts Netanyahu's claims that earlier notification would have changed the outcome, with Gil asserting that even with earlier warnings, Netanyahu likely would not have acted differently given the consensus among security chiefs.
Furthermore, Gil raised concerns about a protocol change in January 2024, where a call time was allegedly altered from 6:40 AM to 6:29 AM. Gil reported this to the Attorney General at the time, believing it to be a criminal offense and an attempt to obscure evidence. He suggested that political considerations for Netanyahu's position influenced decisions that could have saved lives.
In response, Netanyahu's office rejected Gil's claims, accusing him of knowing about the impending attack and failing to wake the Prime Minister, and of attempting to obscure the truth about his own functional failures. Netanyahu's office further alleged that Gil is promoting conspiracy theories to deflect blame. Gil, however, maintains that Netanyahu cannot evade responsibility, suggesting that while security officials made professional errors, Netanyahu's actions, based on the accumulating evidence, appear to be deliberate and potentially unlawful, moving beyond mere misjudgment to intentional wrongdoing.
