Netanyahu apologizes after blaming security chiefs for failure in Hamas attack
By Isabel Keane
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday deleted a controversial social media post in which he appeared to blame the Israeli military and intelligence establishment for not providing him sufficient warning ahead of Hamas' surprise attack on Oct. 7.
The Israeli leader's post to X on Saturday drummed up outrage, including from members of his own war cabinet. Netanyahu deleted the post and later issued an apology, writing, "I was wrong."
He went on to say, "The things I said following the press conference should not have been said, and I apologize for that. I fully support the heads of [Israel's] security services."
Saturday's post that drew backlash asserted that "Under no circumstances and at no stage was Prime Minister Netanyahu warned about Hamas' intending to go to war."
The post went on to say that “every defense official, including the heads of MI and the Shin Bet, believed that Hamas was deterred and sought accommodation. This was the assessment that was presented time and time again to the prime minister and the cabinet by all defense officials and the intelligence community up to the outbreak of the war."
