Former Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of knowing more than he disclosed before the October 7 attack and of concealing that information, saying in an interview with 103FM radio that ultimate responsibility for the failure rests with the prime minister.
Former IDF chief Halutz accuses Netanyahu of concealing pre-October 7 warnings
Former Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of knowing more than he disclosed before the October 7 attack and of concealing that information, saying in an interview with 103FM radio that ultimate responsibility for the failure rests with the prime minister.
Halutz was responding to a Haaretz report that Netanyahu received an explicit warning days before October 7 during a conversation with United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed. Halutz said he believed the conversation had taken place, citing as reasoning the absence of a denial from the Emirati side.
Halutz also addressed a separate report that Hamas had conveyed a warning before the conversation with the UAE president, and that a security discussion convened by Netanyahu ended without a decision. He said the outcome of any such discussion is the responsibility of the prime minister, not the other participants.
The former chief of staff said Netanyahu habitually left security discussions without formal conclusions. 'Ask those who participated in discussions with Netanyahu, and many will tell you that one of the things he does not do is sum up discussions,' Halutz said. 'He leaves them hanging in the air. When you do something definitive, you compel others, or yourself, to take action.'
Halutz broadened his criticism to include education, healthcare, transportation, and crime, saying Netanyahu bears responsibility as the person ultimately responsible for all those responsible. Asked about the opposition's campaign ahead of elections, Halutz said there was 'a very high chance that the opposition will win' and that he would try to be 'much more aggressive in this fight.'
- The source does not include any response or comment from Prime Minister Netanyahu or his office to Halutz's accusations.
- The source does not include any response from the UAE or President Mohammed bin Zayed regarding the reported warning conversation.
- The source does not state the date of the elections Halutz referenced.
- The source does not identify which opposition leaders Halutz was asked about.
- The source does not state whether the Haaretz report Halutz was responding to has been confirmed or denied by official Israeli sources.
- The source does not establish what specific information Netanyahu allegedly received or the precise content of the reported warning from Hamas.
Read the original at The Jerusalem Post