Security fears weigh on Netanyahu’s campaign ahead of Israel vote

Accusations that Netanyahu failed to stop Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack have threatened to poison his campaign.(AFP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made guaranteeing Israel’s security his core doctrine, but now his leadership hangs in the balance, with critics accusing him of failing to protect his country from attack.Weeks away from a tightly contested general election, Netanyahu is boasting in speech after fiery speech that he has obliterated Israel’s enemies since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that marked his era in power.Hamas has been largely buried under the rubble of Gaza, while in Lebanon, the militant group Hezbollah has been driven out of the south. The supreme leader of Iran, which backs both groups, has been forced into hiding since a February strike killed his predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.But accusations that Netanyahu failed to stop Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack have threatened to poison his campaign, particularly since reports emerged suggesting the United Arab Emirates and Egypt had warned him of the imminent danger.While Netanyahu addressed a ceremony commemorating the victims of the deadliest attack in Israeli history, the father of one person killed that day shouted: “You didn’t protect my son and 1,200 others killed on October 7 — shame!”An attack aboard a flydubai flight to Israel, foiled by the captain and passengers, has compounded the criticism, with just weeks to go until the Oct. 27 vote.‘Main weakness’Michael Horowitz, an independent security analyst, said criticism of Netanyahu’s handling of Oct. 7 and, more recently, the flydubai incident has emerged as the main hurdle in his bid to remain in power.“They bring the campaign back to its main weakness: confidence in his ability to protect Israelis,” Horowitz told AFP.Last month, Israeli and U.S. media reported that the UAE and Egypt had warned Netanyahu days before Oct. 7 that Hamas appeared to be preparing a large-scale attack.According to the left-wing newspaper Haaretz, Netanyahu did not inform the security services.The prime minister has categorically denied the claims, but his rivals have capitalized on them in their own campaigns.“He knew that something was about to happen,” said Netanyahu’s main rival in the race, Gadi Eisenkot, during a conference on counterterrorism.Eisenkot and other opponents have called for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry to identify those responsible for any security lapses leading up to Oct. 7, a push the government has so far resisted.More pressureLast week, Netanyahu sought to capitalize on the foiled attack on the flydubai flight by heading to Ben Gurion Airport to publicly welcome the passengers home himself.But in the days since their return, some Israelis have wondered whether there were security failings surrounding that incident as well.“Three years since the most terrible failure in the history of the State of Israel … a new failure has been exposed,” influential columnist Ben Caspit wrote Monday in the Maariv newspaper.Among the questions raised was whether any background checks had been conducted on the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to crash the plane.Under pressure, and after critics called for Transport Minister Miri Regev to resign, Netanyahu ordered a security review of international flights to Israel on Sunday.For now, Netanyahu’s popularity has waned slightly, according to polls, but the race against Eisenkot remains too close to call.According to Horowitz, it is not too late for Netanyahu to once again rally Israelis behind him, if only by claiming victory against Hamas and Hezbollah.“He can convince voters that he knew how to respond,” Horowitz said. “His main bet is that voters will reward him for his retaliation, rather than punish him for the failures.”Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads