Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has faced criticism after claiming that the inclusion of an Arab party in Israel’s last government was worse than the state’s failure to prevent the October 7 attacks.
Asked in an interview with Radio 103FM whether the makeup of the previous coalition or the Hamas-led terror attacks were a “greater calamity,” he replied: “Of course, the formation of the government with Mansour Abbas [leader of the Ra’am party]."
Abbas entered the coalition led by Yair Lapid and Naftalia Bennett after Ra’am won four seats in the 2021 elections.
The party is the political wing of the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, the Northern Branch of which is proscribed due to alleged ties with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The interviewer, seemingly taken aback, then asked: “Did you just say that forming a government with Mansour Abbas was worse than the October 7 massacre?”
Calling the failure to prevent the attacks a “tactical error” on Israel’s part, Smotrich replied: “Absolutely. Intention is far worse than error.
“Someone who knowingly sold the State of Israel to its enemies… is much graver than someone who erred, slipped, failed.
"A politician who lied, stole, betrayed his values, partners, and promises, and sold the country to terror supporters, assassinated democracy and public trust in the political system and in Zionism, is a thousand times graver than the biggest failure imaginable, which is a failure and not a purposeful act.”
And, pressed once again on whether he considered this worse than the tragedy of October 7, he added: “It’s horrible. I don’t understand, do you want a contest of disasters? You asked me, as a politician, what I think is worse.
“A politician who lied, stole [votes], betrayed his values, partners and promises, and sold the country to terror supporters, assassinated democracy and public trust in the political system and in Zionism, is a thousand times worse than the biggest failure imaginable, when that is a failure and not a purposeful act.”
Responding to Smotrich's remarks, Abbas wrote on X: “Smotrich has no respect for the 2,100 murdered individuals [the 1,200 killed on October 7 plus the Israeli death toll of the subsequent Gaza War] and their families.
"This is a miserable and immoral statement. Even on its worst day, [Bennett’s] ‘government of change’ was a thousand times better than Smotrich’s ‘October 7 disaster government.’
"Human life holds no value in Smotrich’s eyes, just as it holds no value for fanatical extremists anywhere else in the world. Soon, we will change that.”
The finance minister was also condemned by former Prime Minister Bennett, who said in a video statement: “Anyone who calls the October 7 massacre a ‘tactical failure’ is adding himself to the list of Israel-haters and massacre deniers.
"Netanyahu and Smotrich and their government are trying with all their might to make people forget the atrocities that occurred on their watch, and under their full responsibility, and as a result of their failed policy, for which they are responsible.
"The more they fail, the more they try to incite against me to erase their own disgrace.”
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