Opposition leader Naftali Bennett said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is employing a method of spreading lies and turning Israel's security bodies into enemies in an effort to clear himself of direct responsibility for the October 7 massacre, according to N12's Dafna Liel.
Opposition leader Naftali Bennett on Wednesday escalated his public feud with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of employing a method of spreading lies and turning Israel's security bodies into enemies in an effort to clear himself of direct responsibility for the October 7 massacre. The accusation, reported by N12's Dafna Liel, comes a day after Bennett accused Netanyahu and his wife Sara of spreading a 'sick, false and dangerous conspiracy' against IDF and Shin Bet commanders and against MK Yair Golan, and held Netanyahu directly responsible for the massacre.
The new statement sharpens the attack, with Bennett now alleging that Netanyahu is systematically using falsehoods to evade accountability. The thread of accusations has escalated rapidly. On Tuesday, Sep 1, at 09:26 Jerusalem, Bennett first accused Netanyahu and his wife of spreading a conspiracy and held Netanyahu directly responsible for Oct 7. Later that day, at 21:24 Jerusalem, Netanyahu himself claimed that defense officials 'deliberately' failed to wake him on the morning of the attack, a claim that Bennett's latest remarks appear to counter. At 22:10 Jerusalem, a Likud source reportedly said that Sarah Netanyahu's recent statement was part of a decision to spread a conspiracy until the elections to distance Netanyahu from the massacre.
As The Zioneer reported on Tuesday, Bennett previously accused Netanyahu of politicizing the October 7 inquiry committee appointments, arguing that the government is blocking a thorough investigation. The political pressure to establish a state commission of inquiry into the massacre continues to mount, with Bennett positioning himself as a leading voice demanding accountability.
It remains unclear whether Bennett's latest accusation will prompt any formal response from the Prime Minister's office or lead to further political developments. The debate over responsibility for the October 7 massacre remains a deeply divisive issue in Israeli politics.
3 developments
- DevelopingBennett accuses Netanyahu of politicizing October 7 inquiry committee appointments
- DevelopingEisenkot accuses Netanyahu of running smear campaign, operating 'poison machine'
- StrongBennett and Golan accuse Netanyahu of disrespecting IDF service, losing security focus
- DevelopingNetanyahu attacks opposition, accuses media of taking its talking points
Source and signal
- Open-source intake