Pressure on Netanyahu as ex-aide claims he was tasked with plan to evade duty for October 7 | EUROtoday

A former shut aide to Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed the Israeli chief instantly sought methods to keep away from accountability for the safety failures that led to the October 2023 Hamas assault.

Eli Feldstein, who beforehand served as Mr Netanyahu’s spokesperson and is at the moment going through trial for allegedly leaking categorised data, made the explosive accusation throughout an in depth interview with Israel’s Kan information channel on Monday evening.

Critics have repeatedly accused Netanyahu of refusing to simply accept any blame for the deadliest assault in Israel’s historical past. But little is thought about Netanyahu’s conduct within the days instantly following the assault, whereas the premier has constantly resisted an impartial state inquiry.

Speaking to Kan, Feldstein stated “the first task” he acquired from Netanyahu after Oct. 7, 2023, was to stifle requires accountability.

“He asked me, ‘What are they talking about in the news? Are they still talking about responsibility?’” Feldstein stated. “He wanted me to think of something that could be said that would offset the media storm surrounding the question of whether the prime minister had taken responsibility or not.”

He added that Netanyahu regarded “panicked” when he made the request. Feldstein stated he was later advised by individuals in Netanyahu’s shut circle to omit the phrase “responsibility” from all statements.

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On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 individuals in southern Israel and took 251 hostages again to Gaza. Israel then launched a devastating battle in Gaza that has killed practically 71,000 Palestinians in Gaza, in line with Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants however says round half the deaths had been girls and kids.

Netanyahu’s workplace referred to as the interview a “long series of mendacious and recycled allegations made by a man with clear personal interests who is trying to deflect responsibility from himself,” Hebrew media reported.

Feldstein’s statements come after his indictment in a case the place he’s accused of leaking categorised navy data to a German tabloid to enhance public notion of the prime minister following the killing of six hostages in Gaza in August of final yr.

Feldstein can be a suspect within the “Qatargate” scandal, one in all two shut aides to Netanyahu accused of accepting cash from Qatar whereas additionally working for the prime minister.