Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in front of the Israeli Parliament on Oct. 28, 2024, in Jerusalem. (Credit: Debbie Hill/AFP)
An Israeli Civilian Committee of Inquiry established after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining decision-making bodies by preventing any serious discussion of security issues, as reported by local media outlets such as Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post.
According to the Jerusalem Post, a Civilian Committee of Inquiry published a report on Tuesday stating that Netanyahu's “arrogance” has led to the Oct. 7 attack. The report includes “a damning summary” of the failures beginning at the very top of Israel’s government and reaching deep into Israel’s security establishment.
The inquiry indicates that Netanyahu, who has been wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the past week, is largely responsible for the “conception” that money could buy quiet from Hamas, which aimed to pay Hamas to maintain calm in Gaza and to silence any voices criticizing this conception.
The Committee was formed in July by families of those killed on Oct. 7, along with civil society groups and local authorities. It heard approximately 120 testimonies, including from former prime ministers, senior politicians, retired and serving security officials, survivors of the attack, and heads of volunteer organizations
“In light of the testimonies and findings, it can be conclusively determined that the government in general, and the Prime Minister in particular, did not prepare or plan adequately not only for the disaster of Oct. 7 but also for other disaster scenarios,” the committee wrote.
The Committee members find that Netanyahu ignored the warnings he received about Israel’s “enemies” perceiving weakness and an opportunity to start a war. Additionally, he is accused of being “significantly responsible for the division within the nation (...) which had an impact on the resilience of the Israeli society.”
