October 7’s Echoes: How a National Trauma Became a Political Football

The Israeli prime minister’s handling of the 2023 Hamas attack has become a central issue in the country’s upcoming elections, with Benjamin Netanyahu deflecting blame and critics accusing him of ignoring warnings. The aftermath of the attack saw nearly 1,200 Israelis killed and over 250 taken captive, leaving a lasting trauma on the nation.

This national tragedy, however, has been manipulated by politicians to fuel their agendas rather than serving as an opportunity for introspection and reform. Netanyahu’s strategy of deflecting blame onto others is particularly striking in this context. By pushing claims that senior defense officials deliberately chose not to wake him up before the assault, Netanyahu shifts attention away from his own failures and onto those around him.

This tactic has been employed by populists worldwide but takes on a sinister tone when applied to the October 7 attack. In Israel’s elections, it’s particularly pernicious as Netanyahu and his allies exploit the trauma of October 7 to tap into a deep-seated fear among Israelis that their leaders failed to protect them from harm.

The media has played a significant role in perpetuating this narrative, repeatedly airing the events of that day. While intended to keep the memory of October 7 alive, this repetition has also served to reinforce the trauma and institutionalize it within Israeli society. The result is a culture where politicians can easily exploit their constituents’ emotions by invoking the specter of October 7.

In contrast, another narrative has been largely ignored in the media frenzy surrounding Netanyahu’s handling of the attack: the one about Gaza and the brutal siege that has left its residents struggling to survive. Images of Palestinian suffering have been absent from Israeli discourse, with some outlets actively working to suppress them.

This omission speaks to a deeper issue within Israeli society, where the trauma of October 7 has become a kind of national anesthesia, numbing Israelis to the suffering of others in Gaza. By focusing on their own pain and victimhood, Israelis are able to avoid confronting the complexities of the conflict and the role they play in perpetuating it.

As the elections approach, it’s worth examining whether this narrative will continue to hold sway over Israeli politics. Will Netanyahu’s strategy of deflecting blame ultimately prove successful, or will voters begin to demand more accountability from their leaders? The answer lies not just in the voting booths but also in the way that Israelis choose to engage with the trauma of October 7.

Ultimately, the choice is theirs: to continue allowing this national tragedy to serve as a political football, exploited and manipulated by politicians, or to use the anniversary of October 7 as an opportunity for introspection and reform. The echoes of October 7 will undoubtedly haunt Israeli politics for years to come, but it’s up to Israelis to decide how they want to confront their trauma and work towards a more nuanced understanding of their conflict.