JERUSALEM (AP) — A former member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet offered a rare public apology Sunday for contributing to the internal strife in Israel that preceded the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip.
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The mea culpa by Galit Distel Atbaryan, a lawmaker from Netanyahu’s Likud Party, was one of the first times a Likud member has accepted responsibility for the polarized atmosphere ahead of the attack, which triggered a devastating war that has continued for nearly three months.
Distel Atbaryan appeared to accept the argument that the internal divisions created perceptions of weakness that encouraged Hamas to attack.
“I’m here sitting and telling you, the democratic, secular public: I sinned against you, I caused pain for you, I caused you to fear for your lives here, and I am sorry for this,” she told Channel 13 TV.
Distel Atbaryan added that she was taking responsibility for her role in the massive protests and civil discord that erupted after Netanyahu’s right-wing government attempted to implement a far-reaching overhaul of the judicial system. The crisis sparked mass protests, alarmed business leaders and former security chiefs, and drew concern from the United States and other close allies.
“I was one of those people that caused the state to be weakened, that harmed people,” she said. “I created a split, I created a rift, and I created tension. And this tension brought weakness. And this weakness, in many ways, brought massacre.”
Distel Atbaryan, who served as public diplomacy minister, was one of Netanyahu’s strongest supporters and drew attention for her harsh criticism of his opponents.
But days after the Oct. 7 attack, she resigned when it was clear that other government ministries were handling her responsibilities.
Distel Atbaryan said the office was a “waste of public funds” during wartime. She has remained as a member of parliament in the Likud.
If anyone sinned, it was the left liberal athiests who were trying to bring down a democratically elected government with their illegal protests and calling on army reservists not to serve, etc.
These were the real “sinners”, they should confess.
It never ceases to amaze me how it’s always the right (as opposed to the wrong/left) that are the apologists. What complete misplaced decency! Like these people that forgive someone who murdered a family member. Insanity!! When was the last time anyone in recent memory remembers anyone on the left anywhere that has ever apologized for stirring the pot, taking action that had a complete negative effect/hurt the public (sound familiar leftist lawmakers?) and even more so, causing upheaval? Once in the blue moon we’ll hear a news outlet very blandly and meekly somewhat apologize for a headline or an article that was fake, fabricated, over exaggerated, mostly false with some grains of truth to it, besmirching of a particular race or religion, after (ONLY BECAUSE OF) there’s been a public outcry. But that’s about it!!
A traitor
Guess who won’t be on likuds list in next election Only ones that need to apologize are the socialist anti Jewish Israelis like Bennett and company
Exercising ones legal rights is not a sin. The sinners are the arrogant left who abused their power to force the jewish community in Eretz Yisroel Israel for the last
100 years to be their slaves
Nothing wrong with changing your mind.
She’s a traitor and a coward. A sniveling politician who just wants attention
She should resign, otherwise, ‘TALK IS CHEAP’ !
She’s the scapegoat..part of the playacting