Yair Golan Sues Sara Netanyahu for $650,000 Over 'Incitement to Violence' Claims

Yair Golan, chairman of the "Democrats" party, has filed a NIS 2.5 million (approximately $650,000) lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The suit stems from remarks Netanyahu made in an interview with Channel 14, which Golan alleges constitute not only defamation but also incitement to violence.

During the interview, Netanyahu questioned Golan's preparedness on the morning of October 7th, implying he was unaware of the unfolding events while the Prime Minister allegedly was. The Democrats party condemned these statements as "spreading conspiracies" against Golan. Golan's lawsuit asserts that Netanyahu's comments are false and intended to incite violence against him, thereby harming his honor and good name, particularly given his past military service and actions on October 7th, when he traveled to the Gaza border region to assist civilians.

According to the lawsuit, intelligence agencies issued concrete warnings of threats against Golan following the interview. A report cited in the suit indicated a 450% surge in online incitement against him. Golan claims these threats necessitated a significant increase in his personal security arrangements ahead of the elections.

The lawsuit further alleges that a Netanyahu advisor reviewed the interview before its broadcast, which Golan's legal team argues demonstrates "premeditation for incitement." Golan is seeking unprecedented civil damages for violating criminal provisions against incitement to violence, asking the court to rule that Netanyahu's words crossed the criminal threshold for encouraging violent acts. Due to what he describes as premeditation and malicious intent, Golan is requesting double damages without proof of loss.