Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Chief of Staff, Tzachi Braverman, is currently under police investigation for allegedly altering documents related to the 7 October Hamas attack to portray Netanyahu in a more favorable light.
Braverman was questioned by the Israeli police Lahav 433 major crimes unit for over five hours on Thursday. The investigation centers on two critical telephone calls Netanyahu received during the Hamas cross-border raid.
The key allegation is that Braverman modified the documented time of a crucial phone call from Netanyahu’s military secretary, Major General Avi Gil. Specifically, he is accused of changing the call’s timestamp from 06:40 to 06:29. Braverman denies intentionally misrepresenting the documents, claiming he knows the first call was at 06:29 and insisted on changing the time.
According to reports in Haaretz newspaper, the actual sequence of events was more nuanced. Gil first called Netanyahu at 06:29 as the Hamas attack began, but Netanyahu did not issue any immediate instructions. Instead, he asked Gil to call back in 10 minutes. During the second call at 06:40, Netanyahu reportedly ordered a situational assessment of the developing invasion.
The underlying accusation is that Braverman altered the timestamp to create the impression that Netanyahu responded more urgently and decisively during the initial stages of the attack. Braverman denies this motivation.
The 7 October attack is widely considered the biggest military and intelligence failure in Israel’s history, with several senior military officials already resigning as a result. Netanyahu has consistently denied any personal responsibility, though his critics argue he was ultimately accountable for failing to prevent the deadliest attack on Israel since its founding in 1948.
Multiple investigations are currently ongoing into the military and intelligence failures. Netanyahu has rejected claims that he is delaying a comprehensive inquiry.
This potential scandal emerges at a particularly challenging time for Netanyahu, who is simultaneously facing corruption charges and is scheduled to testify in his trial next month. He maintains that the legal proceedings are a political witch-hunt.
The investigation into Braverman is still in its early stages, but it could potentially significantly undermine Netanyahu’s political position. The modification of official documents, if proven, would raise serious questions about the transparency and integrity of the prime minister’s office during one of the most critical moments in recent Israeli history.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on understanding the full context of the events surrounding the 7 October attack and determining whether any deliberate attempts were made to manipulate the narrative of the government’s response.
