Israel PM’s wife shares conspiracy theory about opposition figure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, made allegations that an opposition figure was privy to the details of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, before it took place. Her comments on a television program, which aired on Monday evening, drew significant backlash from Israel's opposition parties.

Sara Netanyahu targeted Yair Golan, the former Deputy Military Chief of Staff and head of Israel's center-left Democratic Party, in her remarks. She claimed Golan was already dressed and ready at dawn on the day of the attack, while others remained unaware, including the prime minister himself.

The opposition vehemently condemned Sara Netanyahu's statements, describing them as "vile and deceitful." Golan's party called her remarks "crossing a red line that borders on insanity" and accused her of spreading conspiracies against Major General Yair Golan, his alleged heroism on October 7, and Netanyahu's leadership.

Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, a potential challenger to Netanyahu, dismissed Sara Netanyahu's accusations as a "mad conspiracy of betrayal" designed to incite hatred and prolong Netanyahu's rule. He added that the comments were intended solely to perpetuate the current right-wing coalition's power.

Recent polls indicate a troubling pattern of conspiracy theories circulating within Israel's political class. According to a Channel 13 poll conducted in August, 40% of Israelis and 63% of voters for the current right-wing coalition believe that internal treason was responsible for the October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people and the taking of 251 hostages.

Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, has sought to deflect blame for the attack, claiming that security officials should have woken him from his sleep. The subsequent Israeli offensive in Gaza has resulted in at least 73,454 casualties, according to the Palestinian health ministry.