Culture Minister Miki Zohar claims Hamas plotted Oct. 7 attacks during Bennett-Lapid gov't

Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar has ignited a political firestorm by asserting that Hamas meticulously planned the October 7, 2023, massacre during the tenure of the Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid government in 2022. Zohar's controversial remarks, made during an interview with Radio 103 FM, suggest that the extremist Islamic mindset within Hamas perceived weakness in a government coalition that included an Arab party, thereby identifying an opportune moment to strike.

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How does the extremist Islamic mind work? It exists in Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran; it identifies weakness when you are not clear in your stance against your enemy.

Zohar elaborated on this theory, stating that Hamas leaders identified a fragmented and unclear stance against their enemy as a sign of weakness. He posited that the subsequent internal divisions within Israel over judicial reform after the current government took power may have further influenced Hamas's decision-making. Despite acknowledging that the massacre occurred 'on our watch,' Zohar insisted that the groundwork was laid during the previous administration, specifically citing former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's alleged planning based on the perceived governmental vulnerability.

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When they [Hamas] saw a government supported by an Islamist party, fragmented and unclear in its positions, they identified weakness.

This narrative has been vehemently rejected by former prime ministers Bennett and Lapid. They accused Zohar and the current government of attempting to evade accountability for the failures that led to the October 7 attacks by shifting blame to their predecessors. Bennett stated, 'The outgoing government has launched yet another campaign to evade responsibility for the blood of those murdered on October 7. It won’t help. It’s yours, Netanyahu.' Both leaders condemned Zohar's statements as an attempt to reshape the historical narrative and avoid responsibility for the events that transpired under their watch.

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When we came to power, the arguments among the people over the judicial reform began, and division was created. It may have been a significant trigger in [Sinwar’s] decision-making.