The Prime Minister’s Office this week released a statement discrediting reports that the country was not prepared to meet the Hamas tunnel threat during Operation Protective Edge. One of the audible voices claiming the cabinet was unaware and unprepared was Minister Naftali Bennett, who to this day insists he is correct. Bennett was harshly reprimanded publicly by Mr. Netanyahu during the military operation for openly criticizing the cabinet.

Coming to Bennett’s side is Yesh Atid leader MK Yair Lapid, who explained he was a cabinet member during Operation Protective Edge as was Bennett, and Bennett is telling the truth, not PM Netanyahu.

Bennett claims there were no in-depth discussion pertaining to the terror tunnels before July 2014, and this is confirmed by Lapid, both contradicting the PM’s Office statement.

The Prime Minister’s Office responded that Lapid and Bennett’s statement are not accurate. Minister Yuval Steinitz told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) on Thursday that there were at least a dozen meetings during which the cabinet discussed the tunnels.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)