Yair Golan Sues Sara Netanyahu for Defamation Over October 7th Remarks

Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Party and a retired Major General, has filed a defamation and tort lawsuit for NIS 2.5 million against Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The lawsuit, submitted to the Central District Court in Lod, stems from remarks Netanyahu made in an interview with Channel 14, in which Golan alleges she implied he had prior knowledge of the October 7th Hamas attacks.

Golan's suit claims Netanyahu's statements contribute to false conspiracy theories intended to damage his reputation. The lawsuit states these theories, originating from those seeking to evade responsibility for the "terrible disaster," are baseless and aim to incite against Golan, harming his honor and good name. It highlights Golan's military service and his actions on October 7th, when he traveled to the Gaza border region to assist and rescue civilians.

The legal filing also asserts that following the interview, intelligence agencies issued concrete warnings about threats against Golan. A report presented as part of the lawsuit indicates a 450% surge in incitement against him online, necessitating significant enhancements to his personal security arrangements ahead of elections.

The lawsuit is not solely based on defamation laws but also includes a claim for "breach of statutory duty" under Article 144 of the Penal Code, which addresses incitement to violence. Golan seeks a court ruling that Netanyahu's words crossed the criminal threshold of encouraging violence, thereby breaching a statutory duty meant to protect his personal safety. Furthermore, due to what the suit describes as premeditation and malicious intent, Golan is seeking double damages without proof of harm for any publication of the remarks.