Dana Bash presses Netanyahu to accept responsibility for Oct. 7

CNN anchor Dana Bash pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to respond to Israeli concerns on whether he would accept some responsibility for failing to anticipate the Oct. 7 massacre in an interview Sunday.

In response, Netanyahu repeatedly dodged the issue, saying on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he would discuss those concerns after the war is over.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu, before I let you go, I know you’ve been asked this several times. But I have had multiple people inside Israel reach out to me knowing that I was going to interview you and say the one thing they want to hear from you is that you take personal responsibility for failing to prevent the October 7 attacks and protecting your people. I know you say the time for that will come after the war. Why won’t you take responsibility now?” Bash asked at the end of their interview.

“I’ve already addressed that many times. And I said this whole question will be addressed after the war,” Netanyahu said.

When pressed on why he wouldn’t address the question now, Netanyahu said, “Well, did people ask Franklin Roosevelt, after Pearl Harbor, that question? Did people ask [former President George W. Bush] after the surprise attack of September 11?”

“I’ve said, we’re going to answer all these questions, including me, I’m going to be asked tough questions. Right now, I think what we have to do is unite the country for one purpose, one purpose alone, and that is to achieve victory. That’s what I do. We formed a unity government. Where the country is united as never before. And I think that’s what we have to pursue,” he added.

Bash then asked directly what his answer is to Israelis who are disappointed that he still won’t take responsibility.

“Well, I said that I’m going to answer all the questions that are required, including the questions of responsibility. There’ll be enough time for that after the war. Let’s focus on victory. That’s my responsibility now,” Netanyahu said.

Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization that controls Gaza, launched a surprise attack on Israel’s southern border on Oct. 7, brutally killing 1,400 Israelis and taking about 240 hostages.

Mounting questions have been directed at Netanyahu and his government to explain how Israeli intelligence could have failed to anticipate such an attack and why the Israeli military was not ready to respond. It was the deadliest day in Israel’s history.