Gantz lashes Netanyahu for suggestion reservist protests helped lead to Hamas attack

Minister Benny Gantz blasts Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after the premier appeared to suggest that protests by reservist soldiers against his government’s judicial overhaul were a factor in the Hamas terror group’s decision to attack Israel on October 7.

“Over 100% enlistment in reserves and extraordinary mobilization by all Israeli society are the decisive response to our enemies,” Gantz writes on the X platform. “Evading responsibility and mud-slinging in a time of war harm the country.”

“The prime minister must clearly and unambiguously retract his words,” he adds.

Gantz’s comments come after several Hebrew media outlets reported that Netanyahu believes that after the war, Israel must probe any connection between “insubordination” and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s motivation to launch the deadly onslaught. The near identical reports suggested a leak from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“In contrast to reports, the prime minister never said in any manner that insubordination is what led Hamas to attack Israel,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office says in response. “The prime minister said before the war that our enemy must not mistake us, because at the moment of truth every one will enlist, as indeed happened.”