With the Knesset elections scheduled for October 27 approaching, the file of the failures of the October 7, 2023 attack has returned to the forefront of the Israeli political scene, following a sharp political attack launched by the head of the “Israel Our Home” party, Avigdor Lieberman, against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
In statements published on the “X” platform on Thursday, Lieberman held Netanyahu and his government directly responsible for the failures that accompanied that day, calling on him to immediately step down from power, and demanding that all current members of the government be excluded from any future coalition that may be formed after the upcoming elections.
Lieberman reviewed the human toll resulting from the attack and the war that followed, noting that more than 2,000 Israeli soldiers and civilians were killed. He explained that about 26,000 soldiers are receiving treatment through the Rehabilitation Institution of the Ministry of Defense, while about 80,000 civilians are receiving care through the National Insurance Institute.
This escalation comes in the context of an intense political campaign led by Lieberman, as he made overthrowing Netanyahu’s government one of his most prominent electoral priorities. The leader of “Israel Our Home” previously accused Netanyahu of ignoring intelligence and security warnings that preceded the October 7 attack, in accusations that come within the heated political debate in Israel.
This debate coincides with a sharp division regarding the investigation mechanism into the events of that day. While the Netanyahu government pushed for the formation of an investigation committee appointed by the executive authority – an approach that received preliminary approval in the Knesset for a draft law granting the government this authority – the opposition forces reject this formula, claiming that it lacks independence.
In this context, opposition leaders, led by Lieberman, affirmed their intention to push for the formation of a fully official and independent investigation committee if they succeed in forming the next government after the elections, thus consolidating the presence of the October 7 file at the heart of the Israeli electoral battle amid deep disagreement over political and security responsibility and the method of accountability.
