Israel's pre-October 7 protocols: Netanyahu boasted about Hamas deterrence

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was alert to the dangers of a multi-front war that included fighting in the Gaza Strip, protocols from defense briefings dating to June 13 and reported by Ben Caspit on Friday show.

On June 13, the Knesset's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee convened to receive a security briefing from the prime minister.

Those were the days of arrogance.

Netanyahu's days of arrogance

Prior to October 7, and the IDF's subsequent war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu was asked several times about warnings from the Military Intelligence Directorate, the IDF chief of staff, and the Mossad chief. 

Every time, he has claimed these warnings amount to hyperbole.

Along with Netanyahu, present at the briefing were his chief of staff Tzachi Braverman, National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi, and military secretary Avi Gil. Also present was the committee's head, MK Yuli Edelstein, along with 20 MKs from the coalition and opposition, most notably former chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.

Netanyahu spoke at length about Iran, a "global vision," regional alliances, even artificial intelligence and its use on the battlefield. The quotes shown below are taken verbatim from the protocol.

"What can we do against Iran and its proxies?" Netanyahu asked himself. "First of all, we prepare of a multi-front war.

"Let's make it clear, we do not have and we will not have the luxury of isolating fronts. That means Iran, that means Lebanon, that means Gaza. It could also reach other theaters," Netanyahu was quoted as saying.

'Israel's problem - surrounded by radical Islam'

The prime minister was aware of the possibility of a regional war, including Gaza. He was later asked about Israel's deterrence in the Strip. "In Gaza, it depends on how strong you are," he said.

"There is an issue that needs to be solved - how do you live in an area surrounded by radical Islam sitting on your fence? This is in Gaza and Lebanon, almost like what happened in Syria."

"Time will tell if the balance of deterrence [in Gaza] has changed or not. I think it has," Netanyahu told the committee.

Netanyahu boasted about recent Gaza operations

Netanyahu then began boasting about the IDF's recent successful operations against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, during Operations Breaking Dawn and Guardians of the Wall. "We surprised the Jihad, because of our intelligence capabilities and mostly because of artificial intelligence," Netanyahu revealed. 

"Operation Guardian of the Walls was very effective, it dropped Hamas back," Netanyahu said. "But we need to prepare for the possibility that they or us will escalate [into a war]. The fact we do not want it, does not mean it will not happen," Netanyahu said, four months before the massacre of October 7.