Tel Aviv [Israel], October 23 : Israel's former prime minister Naftali Bennett said he bears the responsibility for the significant failures that paved the way for the devastating Hamas attack on October 7, The Times of Israel reported.
In an interview with Radio 103FM, he stated, "Of course I also bear responsibility. I served as prime minister for 12 months. There were things that I can't elaborate on, that I didn't have time to do that could have dramatically changed the situation, and then the government fell."
Bennett served as prime minister from June 2021 to June 2022.
"Do I bear responsibility? Certainly," he acknowledged his responsibility but noted that he never allowed the transfer of funds from Qatar to Hamas during his tenure, a policy initiated under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bennett is the most recent in a series of senior current and former officials who have taken responsibility for the failures that contributed to the unexpected Hamas assault. During this attack, approximately 2,500 individuals, including militants, breached the border and carried out violent actions in southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of about 1,400 people, the majority of whom were civilians. Additionally, they took at least 222 individuals hostage and transported them to Gaza, according to Times of Israel.
Several other senior officials, including Israel Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have also taken responsibility for the failures that led to the Hamas assault.
Notably, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not admitted culpability.
An opinion poll in Maariv newspaper found that 80 per cent of Israelis, including 69 per cent of those who voted for Netanyahu's Likud party, believe that Netanyahu should accept responsibility for Israel's significant military and policy failure, The Times of Israel reported.
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