Netanyahu Denies Betrayal on Oct. 7, Blames Miscalculation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Tuesday that he does not believe there was "betrayal" on October 7, addressing a controversy sparked by his wife, Sara Netanyahu's, remarks about former IDF General Yair Golan. In a video posted online, Netanyahu clarified, "I don't think there was betrayal on October 7. There was a big failure. All the signs were there, and the decision was made based on miscalculation, not to anger Hamas, not to wake me up or attack beforehand. That's a failure, but it's not betrayal, and my wife also didn't say there was betrayal, that's just nonsense."

Netanyahu's comments came after a Channel 12 report alleging that his wife's statement was not a slip of the tongue but part of a calculated campaign by the Prime Minister to shift blame for the failures leading up to the Hamas attack. According to the report, a Likud source claimed the campaign's goal was to "create disinformation and distance Netanyahu from responsibility for the October 7 massacre, at any cost."

During an Instagram Live broadcast, Netanyahu also claimed that senior IDF officials deliberately avoided waking him on the morning of the attack. "And why didn't they wake me? Because they knew that I, as Prime Minister of Israel, would have immediately ordered the entire army to be put on alert," he said.

The controversy began after Sara Netanyahu's interview on Channel 14, where she questioned Yair Golan's actions on October 7. She stated, "When you are a military man of such a high rank, claiming you were a fighter on October 7, you would have been there early in the morning, already dressed and ready, at a very, very early hour, while others didn't know, such as the Prime Minister."

Following her remarks, Golan demanded a public apology and financial compensation within 24 hours, to be donated to survivors of the Nova music festival massacre. He threatened a defamation lawsuit if his demands were not met. However, N12 reported that Sara Netanyahu rejected his demands, instead requesting a public apology and clarification from Golan within 24 hours, along with NIS 100,000 in compensation within 48 hours. She also allegedly threatened to demand NIS 1 million from Golan if he failed to comply.