By Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, publicly issued an apology for his previous accusations against security and intelligence officials. The Prime Minister had criticized these officials for failing to detect signs of a devastating Hamas raid that led to Israel’s invasion of Gaza.
Netanyahu had initially made these accusations in a now-deleted post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. In this post, he asserted that he was not informed about Hamas’ intentions to initiate a conflict. However, he later replaced this post with a formal apology, acknowledging his mistake.
In the apology, Netanyahu stated, “Never, under any circumstance, was Prime Minister Netanyahu alerted to Hamas’ intent to launch a war.” He went on to explain that all security officials, including the heads of military intelligence and Shin Bet (the internal security agency), believed that Hamas was not planning an attack.
This assessment had been consistently conveyed to the Prime Minister and the security cabinet.
The original post, which was published in the middle of the night, came just hours after Netanyahu’s press conference where he was questioned about his knowledge of the potential attack.
It was deleted on Sunday morning and swiftly replaced with the formal apology in which Netanyahu admitted, “I was wrong,” and expressed regret for his earlier comments.
There is growing concern that if an independent inquiry finds the government responsible for security lapses, Netanyahu could face significant pressure. While Netanyahu has promised an investigation, he has not provided details regarding its execution.
Meanwhile, Amnon Shashua, the head of a leading auto technologies firm and a prominent figure in Israel’s business community, has called for the immediate removal of Netanyahu and his government.
Shashua criticized the government for its “failures, dissonance, and incompetence” in an opinion piece in the financial daily Calcalist. He argued that replacing the government is essential for the well-being of the country.
Netanyahu’s office, when asked about Shashua’s statement, declined to comment.
Shashua suggested that the government could be replaced without the need for a new election, thereby minimizing political upheaval. Instead, he proposed forming a new coalition within the current parliament.
Netanyahu, however, has not taken responsibility for the intelligence and operational failures and has emphasized that there will be time to ask tough questions, including of himself after the war concludes.
Amnon Shashua is renowned for co-founding Mobileye in 1999, which was later acquired by Intel in 2017. He also established One Zero, a digital bank, and AI firm AI21 Labs.
Amid the ongoing crisis, demands for a change in Israel’s government intensify. The public outcry has grown significantly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent apology, where he acknowledged that he was misinformed about Hamas’ intentions.
Prominent figures, including Amnon Shashua, have urged for swift action, emphasizing the need to replace the government to address the nation’s challenges effectively. With pressure mounting on Netanyahu, the call for change resonates throughout Israel.
