I also bear responsibility for staggering failure that led to Hamas' onslaught: Israel's ex-PM Naftali Bennett

“I also bear responsibility” for the staggering failures that led to Hamas’ onslaught on October 7, said Naftali Bennett, who served as prime minister of Israel for about a year. “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,” Israeli’s ex-PM Naftali Bennett said. His statement came amid clamouring calls by Israelis asking the incumbent prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “publicly” take responsibility for the Hamas assault on October 7. Netanayhu has not yet publicly said he will shoulder any of the blame for the failures that led to the Hamas attack in which around 1,400 people were killed — most of them civilians — and 200-250 were taken hostage in Gaza. In a poll published on Friday (October 20), 80 per cent of Israelis said Netanyahu, who has not made any public statements accepting responsibility, should follow suit of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar who have already taken such responsibility. Also Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have. As per the survey, these 80 per cent included 69 per cent of those who voted for the Likud party in 2022 Israel election. Merely, 8 per cent of the general public think he should not. Bennett, who joined the Israeli soldiers at the battlefield on the day Hamas launched the attack, recently blasted at the host during a TV interview when he was asked about the plight of the Palestinians in hospitals, no electricity and water connection in Gaza Strip. “Are you seriously–keep asking me about Palestinian civilians? What is wrong with you? Have you not seen what’s happened?” asked Naftali Bennett in rage.

“We don’t target them. Now the world can come and bring them anything they want…you want to bring them electricity…I am not going to feed electricity or water to my enemies. If anyone else wants, that’s fine. We are not responsible,” the ex-PM had said. With inputs from agencies