Katz says future attacks on Israel ‘licensed in the names’ of opposition leaders amid their criticism of pre-election security warnings

Defense Minister Israel Katz says any attacks on Israel in the future would be “licensed in the names” of opposition leaders who have criticized him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for warning of potential attacks by Israel’s enemies in the lead-up to the election.

“Every attack on Israel and all future terrorist attacks, if God forbid there are any, will be licensed in the names of Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan, and their friends in the opposition — who don’t stop attacking the prime minister and me and are casting aspersions on our efforts to warn and alert — based on information in our possession — against our enemies’ intentions to attack Israel and carry out terrorist attacks on the eve of the elections or during them — in order to influence the election results,” Katz says.

The defense minister says the Israel Defense Forces is ready for any scenario, and says criticism shows “disconnect and narrow political considerations” that harm Israeli deterrence.

It comes amid concerns that warnings by Netanyahu and Katz could be politically motivated.

In one of the instances, Netanyahu issued a warning last month, when he said the country had indications that enemies might attempt an attack ahead of the election.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said there was no reason to alarm the public after receiving a briefing following the warning.

At the time, according to security sources cited by Kan news, Haaretz and Army Radio, the IDF had not identified a specific threat of an attack ahead of the election, raised its alert level, or mobilized additional troops in any sector.