Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to retract a comment he made about the connection between a pre-war protest among army reservists and Hamas’ attack last month. Initially, Netanyahu suggested that the protests against his government, including by reservists refusing regular duty, may have motivated Hamas to carry out the rampage through southern Israel on October 7th. However, after facing public backlash, Netanyahu clarified that Hamas started the war because it seeks to eliminate Israel, not due to any internal disagreements. He emphasized the need for unity to defeat Hamas. Netanyahu’s comment drew criticism from Benny Gantz, a member of his war cabinet, who stated that avoiding responsibility during wartime is detrimental to the country. Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside Netanyahu’s residence, demanding his resignation and expressing anger towards the failures that led to the deadly attack by Hamas. This public outcry highlights the growing frustration among Israelis with their political and security leaders.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to retract statement connecting Hamas attack to reservist protest
