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Gantz blames Hamas invasion on Netanyahu’s judicial reform

‘If the country hadn’t been broken apart, Hamas would have thought twice’ – Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz blames Netanyahu government’s judicial reform for Hamas invasion.

By World Israel News Staff

National Unity party chairman and former Defense Minister MK Benny Gantz blamed the Netanyahu government and its bid to reform the Israeli judiciary last year for the Hamas invasion of southwestern Israel on October 7th.

Speaking with Kan Reshet Bet Tuesday morning, Gantz criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the judicial reform program in 2023, as well as manner in which hostage negotiations have been conducted with Hamas.

“Sending away the negotiating teams and bringing out the media to torpedo the goal – that’s not how you bring the hostages home,” said Gantz. “I would have taken advantage of the military gains that we made up to now, conduct the talks in the negotiating room and not via the media and through declarations which were not intended, in my opinion, to reach a deal.”

Gantz, who took part in anti-judicial reform protests throughout 2023 prior to the Hamas invasion, blamed the Netanyahu government for the internal divisions prior to the war, and suggested Hamas would not have invaded had the plan not been proposed.

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“There was a judicial coup here, the country was weakened, and Hamas took advantage of the situation and what happened, happened. If the country would not have been so broken apart, Hamas would have thought twice.”

The former defense minister, who had joined Netanyahu’s government after the outbreak of the war before rejoining the Opposition, reiterated his call for new elections.

“Hamas spotted a weak point. The government cannot break society up and then expect nothing to happen. Only new elections will restore the people’s faith.”