Netanyahu Under Fire: "No Israeli Believes This"

Knesset Member Hili Tropper of the Yashay! party has strongly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for refusing to establish a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7. In an interview with 103FM radio, Tropper also addressed reports concerning the alleged ties of Netanyahu's advisor, Yonatan Urich, to Qatar and expressed confidence in the opposition's ability to unseat the current government in upcoming elections.

Tropper stated that the lawsuit filed by former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar against Netanyahu exacerbates the suffering of families who lost loved ones during the war and deepens societal divisions. He noted that Bar himself indicated a state commission would have been the appropriate venue to investigate the events, but its establishment has been blocked for three years by Netanyahu. "Anyone with nothing to hide supports the establishment of a state commission of inquiry. Anyone who likely has something to hide opposes it," Tropper asserted, emphasizing that the lack of an objective body to examine the accusations three years after the attack is unacceptable.

Tropper explained that Bar's decision to sue was prompted by Netanyahu publicly blaming him for the October 7 failures, specifically for not warning him of the impending attack. "Ronen Bar stated that he is not prepared to tolerate all these accusations. He waited for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry, but when the Prime Minister repeatedly places all the blame on him, he has no choice but to go to court," Tropper said.

Regarding the reports about Yonatan Urich, Tropper called the possibility of individuals close to the Prime Minister working for a foreign state, particularly one that finances Hamas, during wartime "extremely alarming" and "unthinkable." He described such a situation as "a slap in the face to the citizens of Israel and the IDF soldiers."

Looking ahead to the elections, Tropper dismissed Netanyahu's framing of the vote as a choice between the right-wing and "Palestine," arguing that no Israeli would believe that Gadi Eisenkot, who lost a son in the war, or other individuals who suffered losses, represent "Palestine." He stated that Israelis desire a more worthy and responsible leadership, free from lies and conspiracy theories, and without advisors working for states that fund Hamas. Tropper also refuted rumors of potential splits within the Yashay! party, asserting their commitment to Eisenkot.

On the matter of potential cooperation with Arab parties, Tropper outlined four conditions: recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, adherence to the Declaration of Independence, support for universal service, and designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization. He concluded that no Arab party currently meets all these criteria, making the question moot.