Israel's Defense Minister Blames Opposition for Potential Terror Attacks

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on October 22 accused opposition leaders of undermining national security with their criticism of the government, potentially encouraging attacks against the state. Katz stated that Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, and Yair Golan would be held responsible for any future terror incidents. He asserted that the opposition leaders' constant attacks on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and himself, questioning security warnings, weaken Israel's deterrence and embolden its enemies.

Katz explained that the security warnings were based on intelligence indicating intentions by adversaries to carry out attacks around the upcoming October 27 parliamentary elections to influence the results. He assured that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are prepared for preemptive and defensive actions against Iran and its proxies, ready to act immediately or upon political leadership's decisions. Katz rejected claims that the warnings were politically motivated, arguing that such criticism reveals the authors' political interests.

He emphasized that Israel's "guard is not asleep" and that the leadership is prepared for any eventuality, regardless of political processes. The previous day, Katz had warned Iran against attacking Israel, promising a massive response if such an event occurred, and noted Iran's attempts to prepare attacks to affect election outcomes.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded by calling Katz's statement "irresponsible and hysterical" and a "gift to the enemies of Israel." Lapid accused the government of seeking excuses for its failures, citing perceived shortcomings in combating Hamas, Iran, and Hezbollah, as well as on the international stage. He criticized the government for using security threats to avoid electoral defeat, warning that continued leadership would lead to further security failures like "October 7" and increased Iranian influence.