Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich claimed that he had considered resigning after October 7, but could not find anything wrong in his behavior, in an interview on the Geekonomy podcast on Tuesday.
"I thought about it," Smotrich replied, clarifying that this was not immediately after the massacre, but about two months later.
However, he added that "when I tried to think about what I had done wrong, I could not find anything."
"In the first month and a half or two months, you work like a robot, on autopilot, truly 24/7, managing the war, managing the economy, legislation, and regulations," he said, explaining that afterward, "you enter an emergency routine, and there is time to think."
The minister said he understood that "the most horrific massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust happened on my watch."
Smotrich claims he did nothing wrong, opposed Oslo
Smotrich stressed that he tried to consider "what I had done wrong."
"After all, I opposed Oslo. I was beaten at the end of eighth grade for opposing Oslo. I opposed the expulsion from Gush Katif. I spent three weeks in Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) detention, in solitary confinement, alongside 70 terrorists in Wing 7, a closed prison in Ashkelon," he said.
When he was detained by the Shin Bet, he said, "I was suspected, that was all, of jointly organizing roadblocks.
"Today, I should have received a certificate of appreciation from Gali Baharav Miara for the principle that there is no effective protest without disrupting public order," he added.
In response to his remarks, the October Council slammed his assessment of the massacre.
"You are fine. Our children, siblings, and parents are the ones to blame for trusting you and being murdered on your watch. We wish the 2,200 murdered victims and fallen soldiers had been an asset to you, as Hamas was. We apologize on their behalf for troubling you with nonsense such as responsibility."
Smotrich claims Gaza hostages returned home thanks to him
Last month, speaking on Nadav Perry's podcast on the All In network, the minister said that "thanks to him," all the hostages had returned home.
According to Smotrich, had he been insistent in discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"They would still be negotiating with Hamas today over the return of hostages," he said.
Smotrich himself voted twice against a deal to return hostages. While he opposed their release, hostages were murdered in captivity by Hamas terrorists.
Former hostage Or Levy responded to Smotrich's remarks.
"Had it been up to you, we would still not have returned," he wrote. "To you, we are collateral damage in your madness. I have said it, and I will shout it again. Bezalel Smotrich, you are a disgrace as a minister, a disgrace as a citizen, and a disgrace as a human being."
Ziv Abud, the partner of former hostage Eliya Cohen, responded to Levy's post.
"This is simply insane. Please tell me he did not say that."