Yair Golan Sues Sara Netanyahu Over October 7 Conspiracy Claims

Former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan has filed a NIS 1 million defamation lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The lawsuit stems from comments made by Sara Netanyahu on social media, which Golan alleges implied he was involved in a conspiracy related to the October 7th Hamas attacks.

Golan's legal team stated that Sara Netanyahu's remarks, made in a Facebook post on October 25th, suggested that Golan, who had been critical of the government's handling of the security situation prior to the attacks, was somehow complicit. The post included a screenshot of a news report about Golan, with the caption, "He is the one who said that the government is not legitimate and that he is ready to take over the government and that he is the one who will bring peace." Sara Netanyahu added, "I am not surprised that he is the one who is trying to bring down the government and the prime minister."

Golan's lawsuit argues that these statements were false and intended to harm his reputation, portraying him as a traitor. He asserts that Sara Netanyahu's comments were made in a context where conspiracy theories about the October 7th events were circulating, and that her post amplified these harmful narratives. Golan is seeking NIS 500,000 for defamation and an additional NIS 500,000 for the emotional distress caused by the allegations.

The lawsuit highlights the intense political and personal tensions in Israel following the unprecedented attack by Hamas. Golan, a prominent figure and former high-ranking military official, has been a vocal critic of the current government. Sara Netanyahu's alleged implication of his involvement in a conspiracy adds a personal dimension to the public discourse surrounding the events of October 7th and the subsequent war.