What this is about
Menachem Klugman, a member of the Haredi United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, has controversially claimed that left-wing Kibbutz members are responsible for the events of October 7. He asserts that they should be excluded from memorial services until they seek forgiveness for their role.
Why it matters
This statement has stirred significant controversy in the Israeli government and wider public, highlighting political tensions between left-wing and religious factions, and raising questions about accountability and collective responsibility.
Driving the news
Menachem Klugman’s statements were published in the Haredi newspaper Hamodia, blaming left-wing Kibbutz members for participating in security failures that led to the October 7 massacre. Yesh Atid MK Naor Shiri read out Klugman’s words in a Knesset meeting, further intensifying the debate.
Key excerpts from Klugman’s article include:
“The members of the left-wing kibbutzim were full participants in the great security failure, and they join hands with all their partners from the left in the various security departments to escape their responsibility for the terrible massacre.”
“What’s worse is the joint effort of all the leftists to place the blame on someone who is not guilty at all for this disaster.”
Exclusion from Memorial Services
Klugman argued that those kibbutz members affected by the massacre should not attend state memorial services. He stated, “It is fitting that the people of the kibbutzim of the Gaza Strip, who bear heavy responsibility for the disaster that occurred on the holiday of Simchat Torah [October 7], should not be participants in the state memorial … but to ask for forgiveness and forgiveness for their part in the disaster and acceptance to change their lifestyles.”
Reactions
The statement has been met with outrage, notably from Yesh Atid MK Naor Shiri who called for Klugman’s imprisonment for spreading “antisemitic” content. Other MKs also criticized the article and questioned whether these views were endorsed by senior government officials.
The Bottom Line
Menachem Klugman’s article has ignited a storm of controversy, exposing deep rifts within Israel’s political landscape. As debates on responsibility and reconciliation continue, the nation grapples with these difficult questions in the wake of tragedy.
This story was first published on jpost.com.