Netanyahu Clarifies 'Failure, Not Betrayal' on October 7

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly addressed controversial remarks made by his wife, Sara Netanyahu, who had suggested that opposition leader Yair Golan might have had advance knowledge of the October 7 Hamas attack. In a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday evening, the Prime Minister stated, "There was no betrayal on October 7, there was a failure." He elaborated that this failure occurred in the hours before the attack when multiple signals were detected, but a decision was made not to raise an alert or launch a preemptive strike to avoid provoking Hamas. "There was a miscalculation, but it was not a betrayal," Netanyahu added.

Sara Netanyahu had previously claimed on Channel 14 that Yair Golan was on the ground early on October 7, "already dressed and ready," while others, "like the Prime Minister," were still unaware of the unfolding events. These statements ignited a significant controversy. Hebrew reports from i24NEWS suggest that the interview, presented as personal, was monitored by a Netanyahu advisor and the Likud party, which reviewed the footage before its broadcast, indicating a potential campaign strategy rather than a mere slip of the tongue.

In response to Sara Netanyahu's accusations, Yair Golan issued a legal demand for a public retraction within 24 hours and financial compensation to be donated to survivors of the Nova music festival. His lawyers threatened legal action seeking at least 2.5 million shekels if his demands are not met. Sara Netanyahu has since responded with her own legal demand, threatening a counter-suit.