Former prime minister Naftali Bennett says that he also bears responsibility for the staggering failures that led to Hamas’s devastating onslaught on October 7.
“Of course I also bear responsibility. I served as prime minister for 12 months. There were things I didn’t have time to do and then the government fell. Certainly I bear responsibility,” he says.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu has not yet publicly said he will shoulder any of the blame for the failures that led to the Hamas attack in which some 1,400 people were killed — most of them civilians — and 200-250 were taken hostage in Gaza.
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar have already taken responsibility, as have Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also a minister in the Defense Ministry.
A poll published Friday found that 80% of Israelis say Netanyahu should follow suit.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, October 23, 2023
