Addressing a closed meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly sought to once again distance himself from the failures surrounding Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, averring that the intelligence presented to him did not indicate such an invasion and that his previous efforts to deter Hamas were thwarted by defense officials.

According to leaks to Hebrew media outlets from the meeting, the prime minister also told committee members that while “there was a serious intelligence failure” ahead of the October 7 attack, “there was no treason.”

When asked about the claims of treason by a committee member, presumably including those propagated without foundation by the premier’s son, Yair, Netanyahu said he wanted to remove the “cloud of treason” from October 7.

Netanyahu also reportedly claimed during the discussion that former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar falsified the protocol of a meeting held early in morning of October 7, just prior to the Hamas attack, which launched two years of war in Gaza.

According to Channel 12 news, Netanyahu asserted that nobody had thought Hamas would attack ahead of that day.

The prime minister cited multiple discussions with senior officials, including Bar, former defense minister Benny Gantz and former prime minister Naftali Bennett, which he said show that they also believed Hamas was deterred. It was unclear from the reports when these apparent conversations took place.

Netanyahu also claimed that he had wanted to assassinate Hamas leaders in 2014 but was opposed by the security establishment. Last week, however, Channel 12 reported that the premier turned down 11 chances to kill Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, in the months leading up to October 7.

Netanyahu also reportedly claimed Thursday to lawmakers on the committee that Bar falsified a document from early on the morning of October 7, adding a clause that stated that he had given orders to update the premier. Bar stepped down from his........

© The Times of Israel