Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, suggested in an interview on Channel 14 on Monday evening that Democrats party chairman Yair Golan had prior knowledge of the October 7 attack, echoing conspiracy theories alleging betrayal.
“When you are a military officer of such a high rank and claim that you fought on October 7, you were already there early in the morning, already dressed and prepared," Netanyahu said during the interview. "At a very early hour, when others did not know, such as the prime minister.
“In general, who is the prime minister who needs to know that a war is breaking out? Why inform him?” She asked sarcastically.
When asked directly about theories of betrayal, Netanyahu responded ambiguously. “I don’t want to talk. I don’t know. Let there be a real investigative committee.”
The Democrats Party responded in a post on X/Twitter, saying, “The Democrats Party strongly condemns Sara Netanyahu’s slanderous and false remarks this evening on Channel 14. Spreading conspiracy theories against Maj.-Gen. Yair Golan and tarnishing his bravery on October 7 is crossing a red line bordering on madness. While Netanyahu rushed to put on makeup and look for excuses, Yair Golan charged forward and saved lives. The facts will not change, no matter how much the Netanyahu family and Channel 14 try to rewrite them.”
Democrats MK threatens Sara Netanyahu with defamation lawsuit
Democrats MK Gilad Kariv also responded to Netanyahu's interview, saying that after the upcoming election the party would eject "this corrupt and rotten couple" from the Prime Minister's Office.
"It turns out that even Sara Netanyahu knows that Yair Golan went out to save people and rescue them from the inferno while her failed, spineless, and unfit husband stammers on the phone and then disappears for a few hours to put on makeup," he said.
Kariv also added that Sara Netanyahu had no legal immunity, and that the Democrats party lawyers may begin preparing a defamation lawsuit against her.
Blue and White party chairman Benny Gantz also stood against Netanyahu's statements.
"Yair Golan is a brave warrior who fought and risked his life for the State of Israel over many decades, including on October 7," he wrote.
"Any attempt to pin a connection to treason on him - not only is it false, it harms the fighting spirit of our people."
Gantz also called for a state commission of inquiry into the massacre, to "put an end to the conspiracy theories, and allow lessons to be learned."
Golan joined the fighting on October 7 and helped evacuate people from the area of the massacre. In a previous interview with Ben Caspit and Amit Segal, he described how the events of that day changed him.