Could Oct. 7 attack have been prevented? IDF reveals Netanyahu received prior warnings
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Remembrance Day ceremony at Mount Herzl. May 13, 2024.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received four warning letters between March and July 2023 from the Intelligence Division concerning how Israel’s "enemies" perceived the societal divides in the State of Israel and their effect on Israel and the IDF in particular, the IDF confirmed on Thursday.
The information was obtained in response to a Freedom of Information request by the "Success" movement.
Within the first month of the war, the Prime Minister claimed that he had not received any alerts regarding any threat to the state’s security before the October 7 attack.
Denying claims
He then published a statement on X, formerly Twitter, on October 29, 2023, after making a joint statement with Minister-without-portfolio Benny Gantz and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on the evening of October 28.
"Contrary to the false claims: Under no circumstances and at no stage was Prime Minister Netanyahu warned of war intentions on the part of Hamas. On the contrary, all the security officials, including the head of the Security Council and the head of the Shin Bet, estimated that Hamas was deterred," Netanyahu wrote on X, in a later deleted post.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's deleted post to X claiming he had no prior warning of any planned attack before October 7, October 29, 2023. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's deleted post to X claiming he had no prior warning of any planned attack before October 7, October 29, 2023. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X)
The post sparked controversy and was deleted the next morning. That evening, Netanyahu made another official statement, reiterating that he had not received any prior warnings from high-level security personnel.
"Success," which obtained this information, is a movement that has committed itself to promoting civil enforcement in Israel and encouraging effective and advanced regulation in the economy and society, according to its website.
In March, Brigadier-General Amit Sa'ar, head of the research division of the Intelligence Branch of the IDF, revealed in an interview with KAN News that he wrote an emergency warning letter about a potential attack on Israel that was meant to be sent to the prime minister and members of the national security cabinet after Simchat Torah.
Palestinians take control of an Israeli tank after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 7, 2023. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)
Palestinians take control of an Israeli tank after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 7, 2023. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)
Sa'ar said that he warned that Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah recognized an opportunity to attack Israel, according to information gathered by the Intelligence Division. The warning was reportedly able to reach IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.
Sa'ar claimed that in his letter, he wrote that these terror organizations believed there was an opportunity for attack due to internal conflict in Israel, as well as the level of readiness of the IDF at the time.
The letter was not sent to the prime minister and other officials before October 7.