Likud split: Netanyahu cousin drops party over Oct 7 failure

Nathan Netanyahu, a Bar-Ilan University professor and cousin of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Tuesday evening that he is leaving Likud. The long-time party member published a letter on X stating he will not vote for the party in the upcoming election.

In the letter, Nathan Netanyahu accused the government of abandoning its original values. He claimed the party leaders have created a deep national rift. He stated that Likud is no longer worthy of public trust.

He identified four specific failures in the moral and public sphere. The first was the judicial overhaul, which he described as a coup d'etat. He pointed to attacks on the judiciary, controversial appointments, and incitement against critics. He recalled a speech from April 2023 where he warned about court independence, citing values learned from his mother, Supreme Court Justice Shoshana Netanyahu.

The second failure was the October 7 attack during this government's term. He said the policy of containing Hamas through Qatari funds and economic concessions collapsed that day. He noted that roughly 1,200 civilians and security personnel were killed. He also cited 251 people abducted to Gaza and subsequent sexual assaults. He wrote that the war has cost hundreds of lives and left tens of thousands wounded.

The third accusation involved the state's covenant with citizens. He pointed to failures in education, health, and transportation that became evident after October 7. He criticized the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from military service while reservists fight. He said the government directs large sums to ultra-Orthodox parties for coalition survival.

The fourth failure was the refusal to take responsibility. He noted that more than three years have passed since the massacre without a national commission of inquiry. He said accountability does not require criminal guilt. He invoked the prophet Amos in the letter, writing that for three crimes and four, he will not choose them. He said he will consider renewing his membership if Likud elects a new leadership.

The letter was published on Tuesday. Nathan Netanyahu ended his membership with immediate effect. He said the government's international standing has fallen and its public diplomacy has failed.