Yair Golan Threatens Lawsuit Against Sara Netanyahu Over 'October 7th Revisionism'

Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Party and a retired Major General, has escalated his dispute with Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, by sending a legal notice threatening a defamation lawsuit. The notice, sent by Golan's lawyers, addresses statements made about him in a Channel 14 interview. Golan claims these statements contain false and baseless accusations intended to damage his reputation and question his actions during the October 7th Hamas attack.

Golan demands a public and unequivocal apology from Sara Netanyahu within 24 hours, along with an agreement on financial compensation to be donated to survivors of the Nova music festival. Failure to comply will result in a lawsuit seeking at least 2.5 million shekels. The legal notice details Golan's account of October 7th: he heard the first alarms at 6:29 AM, went to the Home Front Command, armed himself, and proceeded to the Gaza border area. His lawyers assert that he entered areas where Nova festival attendees had fled multiple times, rescuing six individuals at personal risk.

Golan's legal team argues that the statements against him are not legitimate political criticism but rather "slanderous and false remarks" portraying him as a traitor. They contend this is an attempt to harm Golan's reputation ahead of elections. The demand for an apology includes a public retraction and acknowledgment that Golan, armed, went to the Gaza border area after learning of the attack and acted to rescue young people who fled the Nova festival.

Golan himself strongly criticized the alleged motive behind these statements, calling it part of a broader effort to alter public memory of October 7th. "They are trying to rewrite October 7th to erase Netanyahu's responsibility for the greatest failure in the country's history," Golan stated. He accused them of attempting to brand those who defended the country as traitors and those who funded Hamas and neglected security as victims. Golan emphasized that his fight is not personal but against an attack on a public of fighters, volunteers, and citizens who stepped up when the Netanyahu government collapsed. He concluded by stating his intention to push for a state commission of inquiry to uncover the truth and identify those responsible for the failure.