Two of Netanyahu’s preconceptions collapsed on that same dark day – that Hamas was an asset, and that it’s possible to move forward on peace agreements while ignoring the five million Palestinians who live alongside us
In the partial minutes released of a situation assessment on October 1, 2023, six days before the massacre, whose attendees included the prime minister, defense minister, IDF chief of staff and the heads of the Mossad and of the Shin Bet security service, what stands out is that the likelihood of normalization with Saudi Arabia was a key factor in making decision about the West Bank and Gaza Strip.