Editor’s Notes: The Rosh Hashanah accounting of leadership - comment

In a Rosh Hashanah commentary, Zvika Klein reflects on the difficulty of discerning truth in an age of misinformation and political certainty. He examines key events of the past year, including a disputed report about a warning call from the UAE to Netanyahu before October 7, the hostage deal that brought the last 20 captives home, and the war with Iran. Klein argues that leaders should be judged by their actions, not their rhetoric, and warns against rewarding performative toughness over genuine, difficult decisions.

In a Rosh Hashanah commentary, Zvika Klein reflects on the difficulty of discerning truth in an age of misinformation and political certainty. He examines a disputed Haaretz report that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about 10 days before the October 7 massacre and warned him that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing a major move. Netanyahu's office called the report an "absolute lie," an Emirati source confirmed it to Hebrew media, and the UAE issued a statement that neither confirmed nor denied it. Klein admits he does not know whether the call took place. He also reflects on the October 13, 2025 hostage release that brought the last 20 living hostages home in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, and the war with Iran launched in February 2026. Klein argues that leaders should be judged by their actions, not their rhetoric, and warns against rewarding performative toughness over genuine, difficult decisions. He cites biblical and historical examples, including Rehoboam's disastrous choice and Ben-Gurion and Begin's unpopular but consequential decisions.