Amos Harel on the Anatomy of a Failure - how October 7 happened

About this episode

Amos Harel discusses his book on the failures leading to the October 7 attack on Israel.

This week, Yonit and Jonathan sit down with acclaimed military and intelligence analyst Amos Harel to discuss his new book 6:29 -Anatomy of a Failure — a devastating, meticulously reported account of October 7th and the collapse that preceded it. Drawing on internal investigations, intelligence materials, battlefield testimony and conversations with senior officials, Harel reconstructs how Israel failed at every level: intelligence, operations - and strategy. They discuss the “Walls of Jericho” Hamas attack plan that Israeli intelligence possessed years in advance; the SIM card warnings and the signs missed in the final hours before the massacre; the operational chaos that left communities abandoned for hours; and why Harel believes October 7th could likely have been prevented. The conversation also examines Benjamin Netanyahu’s role in the years leading up to the attack: the Qatar cash pipeline to Hamas, the belief that the Palestinian conflict could be indefinitely “managed,” the judicial overhaul crisis, and the refusal — still now — to establish a state commission of inquiry. Plus: why Hezbollah’s hesitation on October 7th may have prevented an even greater catastrophe…

People in this episode

Hosts: Yonit, Jonathan

Guest: Amos Harel

Topics covered

• military analysis
• intelligence failures
• October 7 attack
• Israeli strategy
• Hamas
• public memory
• political implications

Keywords

• October 7
• Hamas attack
• Israeli intelligence
• military strategy
• Benjamin Netanyahu
• public memory
• Hezbollah
• intelligence failures

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hamas, Hezbollah

Books & works: 6:29 -Anatomy of a Failure

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