Ben Gvir: "Netanyahu bears responsibility for October 7, but they misled him"

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attributes responsibility to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the events of October 7, but claims that the head of Military Intelligence and Ronen Bar misled him. In an interview with Kan News, Ben Gvir said he sought to present a different approach to Gaza before the disaster but encountered disdain from senior officials, including Netanyahu. He criticized the transfer of millions of dollars to Gaza, declared his intention to become Defense Minister, and promised a change in security policy.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was interviewed by Aryeh Golan on the program "This Morning" on Kan News and addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's responsibility for the events of October 7. According to Ben Gvir, Netanyahu bears responsibility, but the head of Military Intelligence and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar misled him. Ben Gvir, who emphasized that he is in Otzma Yehudit and not in Likud due to his criticism of Netanyahu, claimed that even before the disaster he sought to present a different approach to Gaza but encountered disdain from senior officials. He said Netanyahu sidelined him and told him a week before October 7 that the professionals said nothing would happen from Gaza. Ben Gvir also commented on the transfer of millions of dollars to the Gaza Strip, saying he does not defend the decision and that had he been in the cabinet at the time, he would have overturned the table. He noted that the decision was not made in the security cabinet and that he had previously left the government over similar decisions. In conclusion, he declared his intention to become Defense Minister in the next government and promised to lead a change in security policy—from a containment approach to a decisive one. The interview comes amid reports in the past week about warnings Netanyahu received before the failure, including a Wall Street Journal report about a third warning from Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in early October 2023, and a Haaretz report about a warning call from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed—both denied by Netanyahu's circle.