Netanyahu’s wife pushes conspiracy theory that left-wing leader Golan had advance knowledge of Oct. 7

Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insinuated without evidence in an interview aired Monday that left-wing politician Yair Golan had advance notice of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, onslaught, drawing a furious response from the latter’s party. Golan, a former deputy IDF chief of staff, drove on October 7 to where the Nova music festival massacre was being perpetrated and rescued people , later earning praise for his actions. But Sara Netanyahu, in an interview with the staunchly pro-government Channel 14, suggested that his prompt response to the massacre had meant he had advance warning of it. “When you’re a military man of such high rank, claiming that you fought on October 7, already early in the morning you were there, already dressed and ready at a very, very early hour when others didn’t know, such as the prime minister,” she says directly after talking about Golan, adding: “Who is the prime minister anyway to know that a war is breaking out? Why let him know?” In fact, Golan has said multiple times that he headed south around 8 a.m., 1.5 hours after the attack began. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms Golan’s party, the Democrats, slammed her remark in a post on X, saying it “forcefully condemns the slanderous and lying words of Sara Netanyahu this evening on Channel 14.” “Spreading conspiracies against the general Yair Golan, and tarring his heroism on October 7, crosses a red line bordering on insanity,” the party said. “While [Benjamin] Netanyahu rushed to put on makeup and look for excuses, Yair Golan charged forward and saved lives. The facts won’t change, no matter how much the Netanyahu family and Channel 14 try to rewrite them.” Sara Netanyahu is not the first member of her immediate family to spread conspiracy theories about October 7. The Netanyahus’ adult son Yair suggested there was treason in the lead-up to the attack , prompting the prime minister to reportedly tell lawmakers that while “there was a serious intelligence failure” ahead of the October 7 attack, “there was no treason.” Advertisement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, attend a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Atarot Heritage Center in Jerusalem, July 5, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) When asked directly about the latter theory during the Channel 14 interview, however, Sara Netanyahu didn’t rule it out as her husband did. “I don’t want to talk. I don’t know. There should be a real commission of inquiry,” she said, condemning the High Court of Justice’s order to halt the state comptroller’s investigation and reiterating the Netanyahus’ rejection of a state commission of inquiry, which she alleged would have had “predetermined conclusions.” Almost three years after the massacre, the government is yet to form any sort of inquiry into the various failures surrounding the attack. Golan reacted in his own X post: “Bibi — [then-]defense minister [Yoav] Gallant, the security chiefs, the IDF chief of staff, the Shin Bet chief, tried to alert you and warn you dozens of times from the moment the government was sworn in and you didn’t wake up… Like all those responsible for the failure, you too will be punished for this recklessness right after we enter the next government.” In another part of the interview, Sara Netanyahu was asked if she wants to continue being the prime minister’s wife in the next Knesset, and answered that she does, “because I want all of us to live.” Ignoring the onslaught in which some 1,200 people were murdered while her husband was premier, she added that “I want a leader who safeguards me and my children, just like he safeguards all citizens and their children; his name is Benjamin Netanyahu.” Numerous reports over the years have indicated that Sara Netanyahu wields major influence over her husband’s decision-making on policy matters and on appointments. In 2024, Golan started suing people who peddled unfounded conspiracy theories that he had been involved in espionage and in planning the Hamas invasion, including Likud politicians and others linked to the ruling party. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism , please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. 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Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel Join Our Community Join Our Community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 Trump has long teased a third term. Now he’s contemplating ‘sitting home’ 2 US hits Iranian launchers preparing to fire in Hormuz; IRGC targets Jordan, UAE in response 3 16 Givati soldiers sent to prison for refusing to enter APC with female paramedic 4 Almost all of Israel’s desalination plants shut due to weather; source denies cyberattack 5 British activist who was detained by settlers to be deported after UK intervenes 6 Netanyahu warns Winter’s party could ‘bring down’ his bloc; Winter: Need new leaders, untainted by Oct. 7 7 Protest in Thailand’s Phuket targets misbehaving Israelis 8 In unprecedented move, Abbas and Segalovitz announce joint run, bringing Jewish lawmaker to Arab party’s slate read more: Israel Inside Sara Netanyahu Yair Golan October 7 Hamas atrocities conspiracy theories Benjamin Netanyahu commission of inquiry 2023-2025 Israel-Hamas war If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community. JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY Already a member? 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