Netanyahu Aide Admits Altering Call Time on Oct. 7

A former senior aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly admitted to altering the recorded time of a phone call on the morning of the October 7 Hamas attack. Tzachi Braverman, who previously served as Netanyahu's chief of staff, allegedly confessed during a police interrogation that he changed the time of a call between Netanyahu and his military secretary, Avi Gil. The alteration involved 11 minutes, which investigators believe could be crucial for establishing the timeline of events on that day.

According to Israeli media reports, Braverman confirmed to investigators that he changed the time on the official transcript of the call from 6:40 AM to 6:29 AM, effectively merging two separate conversations. This admission comes after earlier denials of his involvement in correcting the document. Police sources stated they have evidence of the time falsification and that Braverman did not deny the change during his questioning.

The investigation is now focused on the motive behind the alteration. The 11-minute difference is significant because additional intelligence information was received by the military secretary during that interval. Altering the timeline could potentially create the impression that the Prime Minister was aware of certain intelligence earlier than he actually was, or that he was directing security forces from the very beginning of the attack.

Avi Gil suggested that the time change might have been an attempt to shape a specific narrative of the events of October 7. He speculated that the altered protocol could make it appear as though Netanyahu was actively leading security operations and receiving information earlier than he did, potentially distorting the understanding of the military and political leadership's actions. Gil also noted that such a timeline could be used to bolster accusations against security officials, including claims of betrayal.

While Braverman has admitted to changing the time, the evidence presented does not yet establish that he acted with the specific intent to create a particular political narrative. The alleged falsification of an official protocol could carry serious legal consequences, potentially including charges of document forgery, deception, and abuse of trust, with penalties up to ten years imprisonment. However, a final legal assessment will be made by the prosecution and the courts.

The case file has reportedly been with the prosecution for over a year, with no indictment yet issued, and the reasons for the delay are unclear. This incident renews questions about the accuracy of the official timeline of events from October 7, 2023.