Feiglin: There was 'terrible betrayal dismantling IDF' before Oct. 7 massacre, forgives Smotrich

Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin expressed his full forgiveness towards Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, despite Smotrich's prior harsh criticisms. As they discussed their joint political campaign for upcoming elections, Feiglin emphasized that forgiveness is possible and not merely empty words. He noted that Smotrich had experienced political pressure and made those comments under such circumstances.

Feiglin clarified that the Zehut party and Religious Zionist Party would run a separate campaign and operate independently post-elections, with Zehut aiming to secure five Knesset seats.

Feiglin insisted on being allocated the Defense Ministry position, responding to criticism of his suitability by highlighting his long-standing opposition to Oslo and its alleged role in precipitating the October 7 massacre. He criticized the handling of the Gaza hostage situation, asserting that the release of hostages could have been achieved through a siege tactic without negotiating.

Regarding October 7, Feiglin refused to assign blame to the political leadership, attributing responsibility equally to both left and right. He refused to comment on a possible betrayal leading to the massacre, stating that much information remains concealed.

Feiglin expressed reservations about a commission of inquiry led by the judiciary, preferring a politically neutral approach. He also addressed his recent controversial comments about the LGBT community, stating that he does not oppose their rights but criticized what he perceived as "progressive coercion" in the form of Pride Month celebrations, which he likened to religious coercion.