Einav Zangauker Urges Netanyahu to Take Responsibility Ahead of Yom Kippur

Ahead of Yom Kippur, Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was held hostage, published a direct message on X to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She called on him to take responsibility for the October 7 disaster and to apologize to the victims and the Israeli public.

A Call for Accountability

Zangauker opened her statement by reflecting on the significance of Yom Kippur eve and the duty to confront harm inflicted on others. She emphasized that the holiday reminds the public that interpersonal transgressions do not vanish on their own, requiring individuals to look those they harmed in the eyes and seek forgiveness.

"Mr. Prime Minister, it is not too late. Here is what you need to do just before the fast begins: Take responsibility. Ask for forgiveness. From the victims of the failure and from the entire people of Israel. And step down, exactly as all the other figures responsible for the failure have done."

Reflecting on the three years since October 7, she detailed the profound grief borne by Israeli society, including bereaved families, fallen soldiers, wounded citizens, and surviving hostages trying to relearn how to live after enduring unimaginable trauma.

The Path to Repair

While noting that an apology cannot reverse the past or heal deep wounds, Zangauker argued that acknowledging responsibility serves as an essential first step toward national repair. She stressed that leadership requires personal accountability and that a genuine apology demonstrates recognition of the public's ongoing suffering without replacing the demand for truth and institutional reckoning.