Former Chief of Staff MK Gadi Eisenkot (National Unity) commented on Thursday on the murderous Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, admitting that he did not anticipate it. Speaking at a conference in memory of Meir Dagan at Netanya College, Eisenkot said, “Six weeks before October 7, I sent a letter to the Prime Minister and pointed out to him the deep rift in society, with a call to ‘stop immediately’ the processes weakening the country. I admit I didn’t foresee the brutal attack that occurred; I was more focused on the north.” He went on to warn against what he called “leadership folly”, saying, “While the state of Israel is fighting, the government is pushing changes to the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee and a draft exemption law—while 400,000 reservist call-up orders are being issued. There’s great cause for concern when leadership chooses not to advance a draft law that treats everyone equally.” He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of flawed strategic conduct over the years. “I’ve recognized, even from my time as military secretary, Netanyahu’s insistence on not laying out a strategic framework. This is a fundamental flaw that also explains the great fear of a state commission of inquiry.” Eisenkot didn’t hold back criticism of the handling of the fighting in Gaza either, claiming the government is “busy constructing retrospective narratives.” Hamas and Islamic Jihad, he stated, have recruited some 35,000–40,000 fighters to date, and the lack of planning for the day after the war only enables them to continue the fighting. He argued that the primary consideration for not bringing in an alternative entity to replace them is political. Related articles: Government Minister, opposition MK exchange Purim gifts Party led by Eisenkot and Lapid wins 23 seats Gadi Eisenkot moves to block Bennett's return to Knesset 'Gantz and Eisenkot's resignation harmed return of hostages' Eisenkot proposed starting with the establishment of a technocratic government in cooperation with Gulf states and building a gradual solution for the future of the Gaza Strip. In his view, a deal to return the hostages should be advanced, even at a heavy cost. “Despite Hamas being a cruel enemy, a responsible government could have pushed the outline forward. When comparing Netanyahu’s outline to the Witkoff outline—the one presented to the cabinet is more precise and correct. We must act to exile Hamas’ leadership, demilitarize Gaza, seal the borders, and only then sit down to settle Gaza’s future while Israel maintains security influence. Only then can we refocus on the central threat—Iran.”
