Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, testifying Thursday before an independent commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, accused current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of covering up opposing voices within the Israeli security services, leading senior officials to avoid informing him of unpleasant events.

“For 15 years, the perception has prevailed that any senior security official who says anything (critical) is targeted for slander and silencing by the prime minister himself and his entire entourage. An atmosphere has been created in which people do not tell (him) their facts and opinions to avoid igniting controversies that would undermine their prestige and ability to act,” Olmert argued.

The former prime minister said he was told by one of Israel’s security chiefs that Netanyahu was “disrespecting and belittling” him and that Olmert had to convince him not to resign.

The former prime minister is defending his own record as part of the government that implemented Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005, arguing that contrary to claims that the withdrawal “exposed us to security risks” and caused terrorism, the Hamas was firing rockets into Israel “even before the disengagement and continued to fire after.”

However, he admitted that he missed the chance to defeat Hamas during Israel’s “Cast Lead” military operation in 2008-2009.