Israeli Defense Minister Blames Opposition for Potential Attacks Ahead of Elections

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday held opposition leaders responsible for any potential attacks against Israel or Israelis during the election period, scheduled for the upcoming Tuesday. This accusation comes amid criticism from the opposition, who accuse the government of exploiting security concerns for its election campaign. Katz stated that "any attack on Israel and any future operations, God forbid, will be registered in the name of Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, and their associates in the opposition." He asserted that the opposition leaders "do not stop attacking the Prime Minister and attacking me, and questioning our considerations in issuing warnings and alerts, based on information we have, about our enemies' intentions to attack Israel and carry out operations on the eve of or during the elections, with the aim of influencing their results." Katz did not disclose the nature of the information or the specific entities allegedly planning attacks, nor did he provide details to support the timing or election-related connection of these potential threats. He argued that criticism suggesting the government is acting on non-security motives "reflects a disconnect from reality and narrow political considerations by its owners, and harms Israeli deterrence and encourages our enemies to act." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously warned of potential Iranian attempts to influence election outcomes through security incidents, though he also refrained from revealing intelligence details. Opposition leader Yair Lapid dismissed Katz's statements as "unhinged and hysterical" and a "gift to Israel's enemies," accusing the government of seeking excuses for its failures. Gadi Eisenkot, head of the National Unity party, also criticized Netanyahu, stating that Hamas's continued rule in Gaza reflects the government's failure and pledging to end Hamas's governance within 18 months if elected.