Israeli Minister Issues Rare Apology for Divisive Reforms

Galit Distel Atbaryan, a former member of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet and lawmaker from the Likud Party, publicly apologized for her role in contributing to the internal divisions in Israel. She acknowledged that her actions, particularly during the government's attempt to overhaul the judicial system, caused fear, pain, and tension among the public, which she believes led to perceived weakness and ultimately the Hamas attack on October 7. The attack marked the beginning of a war that has lasted nearly three months. Distel Atbaryan resigned from her ministerial position shortly after the attack, citing the redundancy of her office and the waste of public funds during wartime, but she remains a member of parliament.