Netanyahu shuts down CNN anchor who demands he take 'personal responsibility' for Hamas' barbaric Oct. 7 attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shut down CNN anchor Dana Bash on Sunday for asking him to take "personal responsibility" for Hamas' attack on Oct. 7.

On CNN's "State of the Union," Bash claimed "multiple people inside Israel" reached out to her knowing she was preparing to interview Netanyahu wanting to know why he is not taking "personal responsibility for failing to prevent the October 7 attacks and protecting your people." Bash did not name any of those people, but she still aired their alleged grievances.

"Why won't you take responsibility now?" she asked Netanyahu.

But Netanyahu promptly shut down the question. He told Bash he will address that question after the war, and when she pressed harder, the Israeli PM cited America's own history.

"Did people ask Franklin Roosevelt after Pearl Harbor that question? Did people ask George Bush after the surprise attack of [September] 11?" Netanyahu responded.

"I have said we're going to answer all these questions, including me. I'm going to be asked tough questions," he continued.

"Right now, I think what we have to do is unite the country for one purpose, one purpose alone, and that is to achieve victory," he explained. "That's what I did. We formed a unity government, where the country is united as never before. And I think that's what we have to pursue. And what the people expect me to do right now is two things: One, achieve this victory and bring the hostages back, and, second, assure that Gaza never becomes a threat to Israel again."

Without a doubt, Netanyahu and Israel are not responsible for what Hamas did.

Moreover, it's important to remember that Netanyahu has been PM for less than a year, while Hamas said it planned the attack for more than two years. This fact alone hinders any narrative that seeks to blame Netanyahu.

Still, regarding matters of national security, the buck stops at the top. In the CNN interview, Netanyahu acknowledged that asking difficult questions is important, but there is a time and a place for such inquiries — and, for Israel, that time and place is not the middle of war.

Interestingly, the U.S. government did ask such questions in the immediate aftermath of Pearl Harbor through the Roberts Commission.

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