Gal Cohen walks along a memorial wall engraved with the names of the men, women and children slain in the October 7 2023 Hamas attack on his kibbutz. For him, the idea that the man leading Israel, then and since, may be re-elcted on Tuesday is painful.
One in 10 residents of his kibbutz, Be'eri, were among the 1,200 people killed in Hamas' surprise attack. Dozens were among the 251 taken hostage to Gaza. It was Israel's deadliest single day and its worst security failure in decades.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have taken responsibility and stepped down, said Cohen, 61, and the fact that he has fulfilled a full term in office is a slap in the face. Tuesday's election, he said, is critical for Israel.
