Netanyahu Accuses Security Officials of Intentionally Not Waking Him on October 7
On Tuesday, during a live chat on Instagram, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that security officials intentionally didn’t wake him up on October 7, 2023, the day of the Hamas attacks. This statement mirrored comments he made in a podcast the day before, where he targeted military leaders, including Ronen Bar, the former head of Shin Bet, for failing to inform him and potentially prevent the escalation with Hamas. Netanyahu argued that if he had been alerted, he would have put the army on high alert and warned border towns, possibly reducing the attack's impact. He expressed frustration, saying, "Why didn't they wake me? They knew I would have acted." His remarks come as he faces ongoing criticism over security failures and prepares for upcoming elections.
Key facts
- Netanyahu accused security officials of intentionally not waking him on October 7, 2023.
- He made the accusation during a live Instagram interview on Tuesday.
- He made similar assertions in a podcast interview published Monday.
- He blamed the military's top brass and Ronen Bar, then head of Shin Bet.
- He claimed he would have ordered the entire army on alert and woken towns on the Gaza border.
- His wife claimed an opposition figure knew of the attack in advance.
- Netanyahu faces pivotal elections later this year.
- He has faced sustained criticism over the security failures.
Entities
Institutions
- Shin Bet
Locations
- Israel
- Gaza