Likud Election Campaign Centers on Betrayal Conspiracy Theory

The Likud party's official election campaign is reportedly centered on a conspiracy theory alleging betrayal led to the October 7th Hamas attacks. This narrative, promoted by senior party officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates, suggests the disaster was intentionally orchestrated by elements within Israel. The article claims this theory is being used to deflect responsibility for the security failures.

Netanyahu himself has promoted the idea of "miscalculation" by military and intelligence chiefs, who he claims feared his assertive response would escalate tensions and disprove their assumption that no attack would occur. He stated they did not wake him on October 7th because they knew he would have ordered immediate military readiness. His wife, Sara Netanyahu, echoed this sentiment in a recent interview, questioning why the Prime Minister would need to be informed of an impending war.

Sara Netanyahu also insinuated that Democratic Party chairman Yair Golan, a high-ranking former military official, was aware of the impending invasion due to his early morning attire. Minister Shlomo Karhi further amplified these claims, suggesting Golan's preparedness indicated prior knowledge and questioning his actions on the day of the attack. Golan has denied these allegations and sent a legal notice to Sara Netanyahu demanding an apology.

Despite Netanyahu's recent statement that he does not believe there was a "betrayal" and called the idea "nonsense," he reiterated the "miscalculation" narrative. This explanation suggests that security leaders deliberately avoided alerting him to prevent provoking Hamas, a claim Golan has challenged, urging Netanyahu to condemn the conspiracy theories.

The article posits that this conspiracy theory, which suggests left-wing elements and military/Shin Bet commanders colluded with Hamas to overthrow Netanyahu, is gaining traction, with polls indicating nearly 40% of the public entertains the possibility. The narrative is expected to intensify as the election approaches and the anniversary of the attacks nears, potentially exacerbating political polarization and tension.