"Netanyahu's Lies Laid Bare: How Israel Ignored the Roadmap to the October 7 Disaster" by Yossi Verter
"Opposition leader Yair Lapid's testimony to the civilian inquiry panel paints a frightening picture ■ The prime minister once again revamped his resumé, but unwittingly pleaded guilty"
The following is a reposting of the archived version of an interesting article published by Haaretz regarding the ongoing instability in Israel with Netanyahu as Prime Minister.
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Netanyahu's Lies Laid Bare: How Israel Ignored the Roadmap to the October 7 Disaster
Opposition leader Yair Lapid's testimony to the civilian inquiry panel paints a frightening picture ■ The prime minister once again revamped his resumé, but unwittingly pleaded guilty ■ No one knows whether he supports Miri Regev's plans for an Oct. 7 memorial ceremony ■ What doesn't Yair Golan understand?
By Yossi Verter
Image credit: Amos Biderman
It's hard to overstate the importance of opposition leader Yair Lapid's testimony before the civil commission of inquiry investigating the state's failure on October 7. He lists briefing after briefing he received, piece after piece of intelligence he saw, warning after warning he heard, conversations he had with relevant "sources" – all in the relatively brief period of the summer of 2023. Everything was there, the road map to disaster was drawn. Who didn't know?
Lapid lists dates, names, references. The Likud party was stressed and immediately released a slew of nonsense about security-risk Lapid, who "had given away free natural gas to Hezbollah."
The picture that is formed from Lapid's testimony is frightening – and makes clear why Benjamin Netanyahu will never set up a state commission of inquiry. Over the past 11 months, Likud's messaging page about the investigation on the state's failure has not changed. It's the same evasive, smart-aleck phrasing dictated by the leader: There will be "time for questions after the war." Of course Netanyahu has no intention of setting up a state commission of inquiry. But he also does not want the government that will replace him to set one up. So we're waiting for the longest "after the war" in our history. Haste makes waste, doesn't it?
Yair Lapid at the alternative civilian commission of inquiry looking into the events surrounding October 7, Thursday. Credit: Tomer AppelbaumIn the meantime, the government is trying, just to be on the safe side, to expropriate the letter of appointment for a future commission from the Supreme Court president, or try to put Justice Yosef Elron, a favorite of the constitutional coup gang, on that lofty seat. Maybe he'll appoint right-wing jurists Talia Einhorn, Kinneret Barashi and the military analyst on pro-Bibi Channel 14 to the commission. They'll leave no stone unturned – on Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Shimon Peres, Ariel Sharon, Brothers and Sisters in Arms and Aharon Barak.
The only valid argument that Netanyahu has is that no one woke him on the night between October 6 and 7, which is kind of like investigating the rise of Nazi Germany and World War II according to faulty Polish intelligence from September 1, 1939, and without mentioning British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at an event this month. Credit: Naama GrynbaumSo in the meantime, there is the state comptroller's faltering inquiry, automatically inviting suspicion, and the civil commission of inquiry, which began with families of Israelis murdered and taken hostage on October 7. The more credit this panel acquires, the fiercer the attacks from the poison factory will be.
And they are not alone. Investigating the failure is becoming crucial, particularly when observing the unending path of a war that has no military strategy, only a political one (Netanyahu's survival), especially when this ties in with a messianic belief that Netanyahu really is the one who will save Israel. How does this work? The person Benjamin Netanyahu lies most effectively to is himself. That is why he is so good at it. Let's call it the Spinislavski method.
One manifestation of this phenomenon was given in recordings of the meeting between the prime minister, his wife and women who survived captivity (reported by Yollan Cohen on Channel 12 News). These recordings featured a monologue by Netanyahu that did not attract the attention it deserved. In response to the women's pleas for him to sign a deal to save the remaining hostages, he chose to present himself – guess how? – as the "protector of Israel's security." No, not due to the October 7 massacre. This is old news (and anyway, as he pointed out twice, the Holocaust was "4,500 to 5,500 times October 7").
Supreme Court Justice Yosef Elron last year.Credit: Oren Ben Hakoon"I am working to prevent the destruction of this country," the prime minister of the government of failure soothed his interlocutors. "The entire existence of this country, from the renewing, by the grace of God, of Nir Oz, of Be'eri, of Tel Aviv, of Ra'anana, of Tiberias, of Haifa, is all in doubt. We must address this threat of a plan for the destruction of Israel. This thing exists. Iran is planning our destruction. Hezbollah is planning our destruction. There is a ring around us."
There is much to be said about this text. For example, that it's true. And that after so many years as prime minister, there is no louder confession of guilt than this, coming from the mouth of someone who, throughout all these years, has been babbling and bragging and claiming the titles of "Mr. Security," "The One Person Acting Against Iran" (which has become, in part due to his failures, a nuclear threshold state).
Does this out-of-touch, impenetrable, smug person even understand what he said? A strong, unified, deterring, prosperous country with allies around the world doesn't happen to stumble into a situation in which it comes under threat of annihilation. A divided country with a corrupt leader and a group of pyromaniacal, messianic terror supporters in its leadership, a country marching toward an economic slump and losing its allies, looks like easy prey, even with all the strategic weapons in its vaults. In that same testimony by Lapid, he described step by step the road map to that holocaust. It's a road map sponsored by the most failed and harmful leader we have ever had, a loyal partner that Yahya Sinwar could only have dreamed of.
How does the prime minister expect us to trust him? A man under indictment who is escaping fate through a governing coalition of destruction? He can't even control this coalition. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir holds him in contempt, virtually spits in his face, forcing him to reissue again and again a statement denying any changes to the status quo on the Temple Mount. The justice minister is attempting to reawaken the constitutional coup that has brought upon us the worst strife in our history, and then the worst calamity since the Holocaust. And where is the prime minister? Is he for? Is he against?
Miri Regev at a press conference last week.Credit: Oren Ben HakoonIt turns out he can't even control Transportation Minister Miri Regev. In response to a report by Michael Shemesh on the Kan public broadcaster, Netanyahu believes that Regev is making a mistake regarding the memorial ceremony, "but there's no talking to her," the Prime Minister's Office released two consecutive responses: The first one denied the remarks ascribed to Netanyahu. In the second, this denial was joined by an expression of "appreciation" for Regev's work "leading national ceremonies for a decade."
Both statements lacked the one truly important element: Does the prime minister support what she is up to, or is he preparing the groundwork before throwing her to the dogs? Reasonable offers of compromise from President Isaac Herzog, journalist and moderator of the civil ceremony Hanoch Daum and singer Idan Amedi have been rudely rejected by Regev. Herzog, who wrote a polite letter to Netanyahu, did not even merit a reply. Not even some generic "Your letter has been received."
No time for hugging
Earlier this week, a group of Israeli researchers and economists happened to come to the offices of the Yesh Atid party in Tel Aviv, for a meeting with Lapid. One of them told him, as is customary these days, "I can't understand why all opposition party leaders don't stand on one stage, displaying unity against the government."
It may have been the late hour or the fact that Lapid has heard this complaint for the hundredth time. But this time, he lashed out: "Because I don't feel like losing in the next election. Can't you see this is exactly Netanyahu's campaign? That picture is his greatest dream. He will explain to his audience that there is no difference between Yair Golan and Avigdor Lieberman, or between Na'ama Lazimi and Naftali Bennett, that in the end they are all leftists who just want to bring down the right-wing government. This picture will make the liberal camp feel good for five minutes, and then any time Lieberman or Bennett approaches some Likud MK, they will bring down a whole 'you've joined forces with the left' campaign. I don't want to hug. I want to win."
Yair Golan last month at a meeting of legislators from his Democrats party, the merger of Labor and Meretz.Credit: Olivier FitoussiOne person this message doesn't resonate with is that same Yair Golan mentioned by Lapid. On Wednesday, the chairman of the Democrats party sent a letter to all opposition leaders, offering precisely what Lapid sees as recipe for failure: a joint meeting of the seven gentlemen: Ayman Odeh, Mansour Abbas (whom Lapid didn't even dare include in his furious demonstration), Lapid, Benny Gantz, Gideon Sa'ar, Lieberman, and of course, Golan, to come up with ways to bring down the government.
This will not happen. Lapid is essentially presenting the "Decentralization Strategy." He realizes that the inter-camp scheme of "Bibi Yes/No" may have been put into storage with the outbreak of the war, but only to come back bigger than ever to threaten already miserable lives. It is the same dynamic that dictated the latest, catastrophic election when Yesh Atid achieved the biggest win in its history (24 seats), whereas the country won a government of revolution, destruction and massacre.
So he's going back to the position of the election before, in 2021. Back then, players in the Anyone But Bibi camp differentiated themselves well from each other, and Lapid didn't grind anybody down. Here, too, he will have to sacrifice some votes (leftward to Golan, rightward to Bennett, etc.) as well as his personal standing in order to form a government of healing, whatever its makeup.
The return of Levin the destroyer
Justice Minister Yariv Levin realized that Supreme Court justices, including conservative ones, would object to the cancellation of the seniority system for electing their next chief.
He didn't really hope to convince them when he approached them with his fraudulent offer to appoint Elron for just one year (à la the idiotic rotation agreement between Israel's champion foreign ministers, Eli Cohen and Israel Katz).
Levin raised the notion in order to create friction, so that down the road he will be in a position to revive his constitutional coup and erode the Supreme Court's independence.
To this end, Levin, Simcha Rothman – the chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee – and other subcontractors such as Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi are working on legislation for the Knesset's winter session.
Levin, lest we forget, is a zealous, dangerous politician, the senior orchestrator (with Netanyahu) of the rift in the nation that brought on us the October 7 massacre. His confidence restored, he's out of hiding.
He's giving speeches and briefings about his intention to renew his assault on Israeli democracy that he, that hateful fundamentalist who suffers from a shortfall of talent and wisdom, failed to achieve last year.
He's not operating as if it were last October 6, he's back on January 4, 2023, the night when, his mouth all but foaming, he announced his "reform."
That plan failed, thanks mainly to the most impressive mass uprising in Israeli history. The alternative plan is this: Create chaos at the top of the judiciary, leading to its delegitimization.
Justice Minister Yariv Levin speaking in the Knesset last month. Credit: Oren Ben Hakoon"Levin the destroyer," as he was called even by other members of the coalition, is back big time. In the meantime, he's saying that he "won't cooperate" with Justice Isaac Amit, who's in line to be elected Supreme Court president, based on the seniority system.
This might sound like a childish quarrel, but it's nothing short of an attack on the judiciary. So many actions can only be taken with the minister and the president signing, like appointing court presidents, forming search committees, and appointing registrars, acting judges and senior judges.
Levin's threat, if it's carried out – and there's no reason to think it won't be – will leave the judiciary in a state of severe distress, particularly through the disfunction of the Judicial Appointments Committee. Conflicts and quarrels will become a daily occurrence. The justice minister will be only too glad to hold the judges responsible for the situation.
In his malice, Levin will exploit the chaos to convince coalition members – not only from his Likud party but also from the ultra-Orthodox factions – that the justices are looking for a fight, issuing rulings against him every day.
His problem is that he's showing his hand. Ultra-Orthodox politicians have had it with him and his whims. They see him as a failed, mercurial and unwise minister who has forgotten nothing and learned nothing, someone who intends do the same thing again and get a similar outcome.
According to the ultra-Orthodox politicians, the attempt to weaken the judiciary only cost them. They were supposed to get a Basic Law exempting the community from the draft. They're now trying to minimize the financial consequences of the crisis that this bill has created.
We've already forgotten that in Herzog's compromise, which was supported by the opposition, ultra-Orthodox men would be exempt from the draft (this, of course, was before the war). Levin, with Netanyahu's acquiescence, rejected this and roared ahead. The ultra-Orthodox haven't forgotten. Now Moshe Gafni, Arye Dery and the other ultra-Orthodox leaders are stressing out, mainly over money.
In the cabinet meeting Sunday, more time will be devoted to finding ways to over-finance the ultra-Orthodox community, despite economists' warnings and any thoughts about good government, a clean conscience or common sense.
As part of Levin's misadventures, this money is earmarked to buy their support. They might act wisely: Take the money and run from him.
Netanyahu has and will do anything to stay in office because if he holds office he cannot be thrown into prison for the various charges which have been laid against him. The following video provides an interesting overview.
In the foregoing video, I was surprised to see that there was no mention whatsoever about Netanyahu’s involvement in Israel’s allegedly dodgy submarine deal with Germany which has apparently been ongoing for over a decade.
The AA publication provides an overview as follows.
Netanyahu warned by Israeli inquiry commission over German submarine deal irregularities
Investigation into German submarine deal points to potential repercussions for high-profile Israeli figures
Abdelraouf Arnaout | 24.06.2024 - Update : 24.06.2024
JERUSALEM
A commission investigating irregularities in a German submarine deal has warned several current and former Israeli officials, who may be adversely impacted by its findings, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli media on Monday.
The submarine deal, under scrutiny, spans from 2009 to 2016, during which Israel purchased submarines from Germany. The investigation is examining suspicions of irregularities in the transaction.
“A state commission of inquiry investigating the so-called submarine affair has announced it is sending warning notices to five individuals it believes may be harmed by its probe,” The Times of Israel newspaper said.
The officials warned included Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen, former Navy Commander Ram Rothberg, and former National Security Council employee Avner Simchoni.
The commission accused Netanyahu of “making decisions with significant implications for security without an orderly decision-making process," bypassing his government to come to agreements with Germany on a series of political, security and economic issues, and making defense purchases “without orderly staff work [while] deviating from the operation needs established by the government,” the daily added.
“Netanyahu additionally excluded relevant security bodies from the decision-making process when dealing with sensitive political-security questions, avoided documenting meetings and created parallel and conflicting channels of action, thereby risking the state’s security and harming Israel’s foreign relations,” it said.
According to Haaretz newspaper, the probe panel said that Netanyahu’s conduct “caused serious and systematic disruption of work processes and force building, and harmed the decision-making mechanisms in a series of sensitive issues, thereby jeopardizing the national security and harming the foreign relations and economic interests of the State of Israel.”
The submarine affair involves two arms deals between Israel and the German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. In the first deal, Israel purchased three submarines worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion). In the second, Israel bought missile ships, valued at 430 million euros (about $481 million), for the purpose of protecting Israel's offshore natural gas platform.
In December 2019, the Attorney General's office filed charges against close associates of Netanyahu in the same case, although the Israeli prime minister himself was not named as a suspect.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio
There is also the Meron case as reported by The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu would go to jail over Meron if he weren’t PM, Lapid says
By SAM SOKOL • 6 March 2024, 2:01 pm
Yesh Atid party head Yair Lapid gives a statement to the media on the Meron disaster report at the Knesset on March 6, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in office, “the next disaster is only a matter of time,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declares after a state commission of inquiry finds the prime minister personally responsible for the April 2021 Mount Meron disaster, in which 45 people were killed in a crush at the hilltop gravesite of a second-century sage in northern Israel despite numerous safety warnings ahead of time.
“The report published today shows that the disaster could have been prevented. The writing was on the wall. It indicates criminal negligence, arrogance and disconnection, it indicates complete irresponsibility,” Lapid tells reporters. “If Netanyahu were an ordinary citizen, he would stand trial today for causing death by negligence and go to prison.”
“Out of respect for the victims of Mount Meron, to prevent his next disaster, he should go home,” says Lapid, who has also repeatedly called for Netanyahu’s ouster following the October 7 massacre. The report “leaves no room for doubt” as to the prime minister’s personal responsibility, he adds.
“What happened in Meron is neither an accident nor a fault, it is a pattern of neglect, of negligence, of dangerous national irresponsibility,” he tells reporters.
Although the report found that there was “a reasonable basis to conclude that Netanyahu knew that the site of Rashbi’s grave was improperly dealt with for years, and that it was liable to be a danger to the masses that visit the site,” it declined to recommend any sanction for Netanyahu.
War cabinet minister Benny Gantz welcomes the findings of the commission, calling it “a life-saving report that should be studied in all government ministries and emergency bodies” — but declines to call for Netanyahu’s resignation.
Like Lapid, several lawmakers draw a line between Netanyahu’s alleged negligence around Meron and the failures in the leadup to the October 7 massacre, for which Netanyahu has refused to take responsibility.
“There is a direct line from the Carmel disaster, the Meron disaster, and the failure of October 7 — the prime minister and his cabinet’s avoidance of responsibility for managing the affairs of the state,” Yesh Atid MK Mickey Levi says. “Somehow they always don’t know, don’t hear, don’t see.”
Just as the prime minister was “responsible for the Meron disaster, he is also responsible for the October 7 disaster” and cannot continue to avoid responsibility, Yisrael Beytenu MK Yulia Malinovsky tweets.
There are many other not so good things that Netanyahu has been involved in but I will leave off here for now.