On Wednesday, the Prime Minister's Office was debating the nature of the statement that Benjamin Netanyahu would make that evening.
After 19 days of fighting and a long wait for a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip, Yoav Galant and Benny Gantz wanted to hold a joint statement and allow questions from journalists. Netanyahu preferred not to.
Benjamin Netanyahu: "Everyone will have to give answers to the omission" // GPO
Netanyahu has no problem dealing with security and political questions. That's his specialty. There he feels comfortable, in control, knows how to amplify his voice when necessary, penetrates the camera when threatening the enemy, sounds firm and authoritative. So why did he decide again not to hold a press conference? Only because of one question, the question of responsibility for the failure that Netanyahu is trying to avoid.
Last week, the political leadership was required to answer the question of responsibility. The answers given by each reflected each person's position, as well as a glimpse of their personal plans for the day after the war. Gantz once again went with Israeli sentiment and repeated his responsibility twice in the twenty years he held senior positions in the system. Yair Lapid more than hinted at Netanyahu's responsibility, arguing that "if too many people take responsibility, there is no one responsible." It's not hard to guess that this is what he'll say the day after.
Although there are those around Netanyahu who suggested that he state the obvious unequivocally, "I am responsible," he measured every single word and said the other day "because everyone will have to give answers." He added that he was "responsible" but "for securing the country in the future." As far as Netanyahu is concerned, despite the terrible failure, despite the commission of inquiry that will surely be established and will place him at the center of events, it is impossible to know what will happen in the future and there is no reason to close options now.
A lesson in modesty
Speaking of responsibility. Quite a few studio occupants are responsible for the October 7th omission. Former military officers, senior intelligence officials who have been there in recent years, those who were captured by the concept or did not recognize the strengthening of the Gaza monster. The most prominent of these is Shimrit Meir.
Shimrit Meir, former advisor to Prime Minister Bennett (archive), photo: Arik Sultan
While the others were in senior positions many years ago, Meir was there a minute and a half ago. The woman who was closest to Prime Minister Bennett's ear, thanks to special expertise in the Arab world.
Meir was employed for many years as a commentator on Arab affairs on Channel 2 and Galatz. Today she sits in the studio, is interviewed on the radio, writes on Twitter, all from the position of commentator. The bystander. Gesture, opinion and advice instead of being required to provide explanations and answers.
In her retirement interview from Bennett's office, Meir boasted that she had promoted things that had "been buried for years," such as "granting permission to bring in workers from Gaza," which she said was "a game changer." The same workers, like Khalil, who betrayed the residents of Netiv Ha'enrich, and provided intelligence for Kristallnacht.
Shimrit Meir sat there, in all the discussions, in formulating the strategy, in the countless times the words "Hamas is weakened," "Hamas is deterred," in all the times protection money was transferred in the hope that when they have something to lose to us, there will be quiet. It is part of a concept that has collapsed.
The best officers make mistakes, the best intelligence personnel fall. It is doubtful that any of them will sit in the studio and offer advice. If there's one lesson we learned on October 7 that the "former" should memorize well, it's a lesson in modesty.
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