Eisenkot: Netanyahu was unreachable for two hours after 2018 F-16 downing

Gadi Eisenkot, former IDF Chief of Staff and a political rival to Benjamin Netanyahu, has stated that the Prime Minister bears responsibility for the environment that prevented the relay of critical intelligence on the morning of October 7. Speaking to the Times of Israel, Eisenkot asserted that Netanyahu can blame himself for the systemic failures. Eisenkot further recalled an incident in 2018, following the downing of an Israeli F-16 by Syrian air defenses, claiming that the Prime Minister was unreachable for two hours during that crisis. These remarks come amidst an ongoing national debate regarding accountability for the security failures surrounding the Hamas-led attack on Israel.