17/08/2024
Lies and more lies:
Time magazine published an update to the article with Netanyahu and this time with a "fact check" and revealed: Netanyahu lied in the article countless times: what Netanyahu said: "Financial support for Hamas with suitcases of money was not only in my government, it was in previous governments and after." The reality: funding to Hamas began in 2007 through Qatar, but the Netanyahu government was the first to be directly involved in the transfers of funds in 2014. Between 2012 and 2018, Qatar transferred about 1.1 billion dollars to Gaza with Israeli aid. In addition, after the Palestinian Authority stopped funding Gaza workers in 2018, the Netanyahu government approved the introduction of cash into Gaza.
When Naftali Bennett replaced Netanyahu in 2021, he did continue to allow the financing of Qatar, but immediately canceled the transfer of funds in cash, he defined it as a "protection payment to achieve peace" that would not help the long-term mediation.
2. What Netanyahu said: "Hamas funding was not a significant factor in October 7, but the main problem was the smuggling of weapons from Sinai to Gaza."
The reality: the funds provided to Hamas were also used to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip. Experts pointed out that money is convertible, and every dollar that Hamas did not have to take out of its pocket, allowed it to invest more in military measures.
3. What Netanyahu said: "I didn't say I support Hamas."
The reality: It was reported that Netanyahu said in 2019 that he prefers to keep Hamas as a balance to the Palestinian Authority. And he claimed that funding Hamas helps prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
4. What Netanyahu said: "I didn't think Hamas was restrained, and I didn't challenge enough the security system that thought it was restrained."
Reality: The security officials warned Netanyahu that Hamas sees the crisis during the reform and division in Israeli society as a weakness and exploits it for an attack, but he ignored these warnings. In addition, Netanyahu himself claimed that Hamas is restrained when he is in power and did not agree to enter into a full-scale war in Gaza.
5. What Netanyahu said: "The Israelis who interfere with aid to Gaza are punished."
The reality: there are no known indictments against Israelis who tried to interfere with humanitarian aid to Gaza.
6. What Netanyahu said: "The trial on the corruption charges against me is collapsing."
The reality: the trial continues and is proceeding as usual, Netanyahu was ordered to begin testifying in December 2024.
7. What Netanyahu said: "I did not seek annexation in Judea and Samaria."
The reality: Netanyahu promised to annex the Jordan Valley and the settlements in 2020, but backed off due to pressure from the Trump administration. Upon his return to power in 2022, he transferred powers in Judea and Samaria to Smotrich, which was seen as a de facto annexation move.
8. What Netanyahu said: "I manage things, I make the decisions. I formulate the policy."
Reality: Due to Netanyahu's fragile coalition, he is dependent on far-right cabinet members such as Smotrich and Ben Gvir, who hold 13 seats out of the small majority of four seats in the coalition. The White House even mentioned Smotrich as an obstacle to a cease-fire agreement, due to his stubbornness that harms the effort to achieve a cease-fire.
