Israeli political figures reacted on Tuesday to the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) October 7 probe results published earlier in the day.
"Ronen Bar accuses the measures taken against terrorists in prisons as one of the reasons for the October 7 massacre," former national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote in an X post.
In the probe, the Shin Bet implicated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, implying his policies on the Temple Mount and the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, among other things, led to Hamas's decision to invade on October 7.
These policies were technically those of Ben-Gvir, who expanded the number of Jewish visitors allowed to visit the Temple Mount and imposed policies worsening the treatment of Palestinian prisoners.
"Bar must think the public is stupid," Ben-Gvir wrote, adding, "the facts are that the Shin Bet itself, under Bar’s leadership, was the one that blocked the worsening of conditions for terrorists in prisons before October 7 and did everything to maintain their vacation-like conditions."
Ben-Gvir claimed instead that Hamas was "encouraged" by "the weakness and appeasement led by Bar."
רונן בר מאשים שאחת הסיבות לטבח ה-7.10 היא הצעדים שנעשו נגד המחבלים בבתי הכלא.בר כנראה חושב שהציבור מטומטם: העובדות הן שהשב"כ עצמו, בהובלתו של בר, היה זה שבלם את הרעת תנאי המחבלים בבתי הכלא לפני 7.10, ועשה הכל כדי לשמר את תנאי הקייטנה. אם יש משהו שעודד את חמאס לצאת לטבח, אלו…
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) March 4, 2025
"Moreover, the 'investigation' itself states that Hamas began preparing for the invasion in 2021—when I was not even a member of the government," Ben-Gvir further wrote.
The former minister called on the prime minister to dismiss Bar along with Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara.
Opposition head Yair Lapid accused the Prime Minister's Office of laying the blame on others.
"As if it would have made a difference if you had been woken up," Lapid wrote on X in response to a statement attributed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s inner circle, which stated, "the Shin Bet director did not see fit to wake the prime minister on the night of the attack."
אצל ראש הממשלה ממשיכים לנסות להפיל את האשמה על אחרים, הפעם זה "לא העירו אותי", התאום הפחדני של "לא משכו בדש מעילי".אפשר לחשוב מה עשית כשכן העירו אותך. לא העירו אותך גם כשאמרו לך…
— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) March 4, 2025
"Were you also not woken up when you were warned that the judicial overhaul was eroding deterrence?Were you not woken up when intelligence reports warned of disaster? Were you not woken up when you were handing suitcases of cash to Hamas?" Lapid further wrote.
"This country has been awake for 515 days. We still have hostages in Gaza," he wrote, calling on the prime minister to apologize and take responsibility.
'No limit to cynicism'
National Unity head MK Benny Gantz accused Netanyahu of "finding scapegoats" "While the IDF and Shin Bet conduct investigations, take responsibility, and visit the residents of the south to apologize."
בעוד שצה"ל והשב"כ מתחקרים, לוקחים אחריות ומגיעים לתושבי הדרום להתנצל ולהציג את הלקחים - ראש הממשלה מסתתר מאחורי תדרוכים ועסוק בחיפוש אשמים.במקום לקחת אחריות, להתנצל ולהקים ועדת חקירה ממלכתית, ראש הממשלה מטיל רפש בשב"כ.אין מנהיגות, אין אחריות ואין גבול לציניות.
— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) March 4, 2025
"Instead of taking responsibility, apologizing, and establishing a state commission of inquiry, the Prime Minister smears the Shin Bet," he added.
"There is no leadership, no accountability, and no limit to the cynicism."
Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.