Netanyahu Rejects October 7 'Treason' Theory, Says Security Failures Must Be Investigated

In an interview on a podcast, Netanyahu said he expects 'anything connected to Israel's security to be investigated,' when asked if the Shin Bet should investigate allegations of 'treason' related to October 7

July 22nd, 20PM July 22nd, 21PM

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was "no indication of treason," but that he had "identified failures" related to the October 7 attack, in an interview published on Wednesday.

Netanyahu was asked on Avi Shushan's Hakol Patuach ("Everything Is Open") podcast whether the Shin Bet security service should investigate allegations of "treason" related to the October 7 attack, and replied that he expects "anything connected to Israel's security to be investigated."

A study conducted in late 2025 by Dr. Nimrod Nir revealed that 56.7 percent of coalition voters believe that some Israelis knew ahead of time about Hamas' surprise attack or enabled it.

Nearly 50 percent of coalition voters believe that former Israeli security officials helped Hamas in order to overthrow Netanyahu, while slightly more than 20 percent reject this theory.

Among opposition voters, 23 percent believe that Israelis enabled the attack. In the public as a whole, the rate of those believing in the "treason from within" theory nears 50 percent.

In February, Netanyahu quoted an accusation made by Efar-right NGO Im Tirtzu:

Netanyahu claimed Bar led a rebellion against him on the day of the October 7 attack, adding, "After the rebellion they led ended in the most horrific disaster in the country's history, they added sin upon crime and embarked on a campaign of cover-up, forgery, and rewriting of history."

In January, Haaretz reported that during a meeting between Netanyahu and former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Halevi asked Netanyahu whether he believed there had been treason, and Netanyahu responded that he did not. Halevi resigned in January due to the failures of the October 7 Hamas attack, writing the "IDF under my command failed in its mission to protect the citizens of Israel."

According to the source, Netanyahu took out a pen, scribbled something on a piece of paper and promised the then-chief of staff to include clear statements in one of his speeches, to the effect that nobody in the IDF or Shin Bet top brass collaborated with Yahya Sinwar in planning the October 7 massacre. This speech has never been made.

A senior defense official told Haaretz that claims of treason "are directed at [former Shin Bet chief] Ronen Bar, Halevi and other senior figures not only by Netanyahu supporters but also from more mainstream parts of society. People have gone through an event of biblical proportions, and they are looking for a reason for the madness. Netanyahu has been constantly fueling this thing in a sophisticated way."

"There was a huge intelligence failure, but I don't believe there was treason," Netanyahu said during a closed session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Sources close to the prime minister likewise said that the prime minister believes no treason took place, and that he will "not publicly deny a sentiment that he isn't even aware exists."

On Shushan's podcast, Netanyahu was also asked jokingly whether he intended to disrupt the upcoming election. "The left accuses the right of what it intends to do to the right," Netanyahu replied. "The idea that, god forbid, we might come to power, return to power, or remain in power is a horror story for them, so they resort to false accusations. We don't 'tamper' with ballot boxes." Netanyahu added that he wants to unite the country, saying, "I don't want to see blood in the streets; we don't have time for that."

On Tuesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the Shin Bet security agency and Israel's Central Elections Committee warned him against "internal and external" threats to the integrity of the upcoming elections, warning against rising violence.

Herzog said he met "about two weeks ago" with Central Elections Committee Chairman Noam Sohlberg and Shin Bet Director David Zini, adding that they "presented me with various threats to the integrity of the elections, both internal and external."

Herzog urged law enforcement to "stand firmly and effectively against these threats," also urging Israelis to "remember that elections are not a civil war."