Yair Golan Sues Sara Netanyahu for Defamation Over Treason Allegations

Former IDF General and Democratic Party chairman Yair Golan has filed a NIS 2.55 million defamation lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The suit stems from an interview on Channel 14 where Mrs. Netanyahu alluded to Golan's alleged treason. Golan stated the lawsuit represents an entire political camp's accusation against a government that has lost all restraint, accusing the Netanyahu family and their associates of labeling critics as traitors for years.

Golan asserted that the Netanyahus are attempting to rewrite history and brand those who acted to save lives on October 7th as traitors to evade responsibility for the nation's failures. He characterized this as a desperate attempt to shift blame, stating, "Paranoia, it turns out, is a family business." He further alleged that while Mrs. Netanyahu fabricates treason narratives, the Prime Minister concocts secret conspiracies involving figures like Mohammed Dahlan. Golan warned that as political pressure mounts on the Prime Minister, he becomes more dangerous and willing to lie and cross any line.

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys Giora Erdinast, Almog Gil-Or, and Yarden Shohat, argues that these conspiracy theories are false and intended to incite violence against Golan, thereby harming his honor and good name. It highlights that Golan risked his life in military service and continued to do so on October 7th by going to the Gaza envelope to help civilians. The suit claims that following Mrs. Netanyahu's interview, intelligence agencies issued concrete warnings of threats against Golan, and online incitement against him surged by 450%. These threats have necessitated significantly enhanced private security arrangements for him, especially with upcoming elections.

The lawsuit also points to evidence suggesting premeditation, noting that a Netanyahu advisor reviewed the interview before its broadcast. Golan seeks double damages without proof of harm, arguing that Mrs. Netanyahu's statements crossed the criminal threshold for inciting violence and violated a statutory duty to protect his personal safety. His attorney, Giora Erdinast, emphasized that these are inflammatory statements that put Golan in tangible danger, and that Golan, like all Israelis, was awakened by the sirens on October 7th and acted to save lives.

In the original interview, Sara Netanyahu questioned why the Prime Minister needed to be informed of a war breaking out and sarcastically asked about Golan's early presence in the Gaza envelope. She also expressed opposition to a state inquiry commission. Previously, Golan had sent Mrs. Netanyahu a legal notice demanding a public apology and financial compensation for survivors of the Nova music festival. She responded by calling his claims "wild lies" and demanded an apology from him for allegedly distorting her words and for a past incident where she felt besieged.