Israel's Intel Failure

December 7, 2023

The world wonders how Israel’s storied intelligence establishment was taken by surprise on October 7 by Hamas terrorists. Even stranger, reports are that in 2022 Israeli security officials obtained a 40-page outline of Hamas’ plan of attack, and code-named it “Walls of Jericho”. But this was ignored and considered preposterous. The document was circulated within the defense establishment and, to date, it’s unknown whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or members of his cabinet were given copies. But it was one of many red flags that were ignored. On September 23, Ukraine intelligence forces warned Israel that Russia’s Wagner Group was preparing Hamas for an attack against Israel. Then, days before the massacre, Egypt’s intelligence chief said he tipped off Netanyahu. For weeks, in advance of the October 7th massacre, border lookouts also warned their superiors of suspicious and dangerous border activity. But one soldier later said her commander told her that “I don’t want to hear again about this nonsense. If you all bother us again with these things, you’ll be court-martialled.”