Israel's Defense Minister Blames Opposition for Potential Terror Attacks

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Thursday, October 22, that "according to information we have," hostile forces intend to attack Israel and carry out terror acts "on the eve of or during the elections to influence the results." He strongly criticized opposition figures from the "change bloc," accusing them of motives unrelated to security and of conducting a scare campaign to inflame tensions before Tuesday's vote. Katz declared that "any attack on Israel and all subsequent terror attacks, if God forbid they occur, will be on the conscience of Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, and their opposition colleagues, who do not stop attacking the Prime Minister and me and questioning the motives of our warnings."

Katz's statement followed an interview by opposition leader Yair Lapid, who commented on reports of a potential renewed military campaign against Iran. Lapid stated, "Based on the information known to me, there is no reason to attack there or anywhere else before the elections. These are attempts to inflame the situation, which will also not help him (Netanyahu) in the elections. Therefore, I do not understand why he is doing this." Katz responded that "all criticism and statements attributing extraneous motives to us demonstrate their authors' detachment from reality and narrow political calculations, harm Israeli deterrence, and push our enemies to act." He added that the IDF is prepared for preventive and defensive actions against Iran and its proxies, and will act immediately if necessary.

Lapid retorted that the Defense Minister's "irresponsible and hysterical statement is a gift to Israel's enemies." He accused the government of seeking excuses for Netanyahu's failures and listed perceived shortcomings in dealing with Hamas, Iran, and Hezbollah, as well as on the international stage. Lapid warned that if the current government remains in power, "there will be another October 7, another Flydubai, another strengthening of Iran."

Gadi Eisenkot, head of the Yachad party, echoed criticism, stating that the Defense Minister is "preparing the ground for the next disaster and preemptively shifting responsibility." He called the situation "absurd" and "unprecedentedly base," asserting that Netanyahu and Katz prioritize their political survival over Israel's security. Yair Golan, leader of the Democratic Party, described Katz's statement as indicative of "panic and hysteria," questioning the minister's psychological fitness for his role and calling the statement "insane and irresponsible." He warned against forming a coalition with such individuals.

The article notes that it is unclear what specific intelligence Katz bases his claims on. While security forces are on high alert and the IDF has issued unusual pre-election instructions, there is no concrete intelligence indicating Iran or Hezbollah intend to attack Israel before or after the vote. Military commentator Ron Ben-Yishai reported on disagreements within the Iranian leadership regarding the timing of potential strikes, linked more to U.S. midterm elections and Trump's intentions than Israeli elections. A New York Times report also indicated that U.S. and Israeli militaries have plans for strikes against Iran after the U.S. elections on November 3, focusing on nuclear and energy facilities, missile systems, and drone forces. President Trump, when asked about Iran, stated "Not much. We'll see what happens," and that "something will happen pretty soon," likely after the elections.