Yair Golan Accuses Netanyahu of Using Security Crisis to Disrupt Israeli Elections

Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Party, sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of potentially exploiting the current security situation for political gain ahead of the upcoming elections. Speaking in an interview following this week's attack in Syria, Golan expressed deep concern that Netanyahu aims to manufacture a security crisis to justify delaying or disrupting the electoral process. "Netanyahu wants to create a security crisis for political interests," Golan said, warning that this could serve as a pretext to postpone or interfere with the elections.

Golan also cautioned that Netanyahu and his allies, including Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, might refuse to accept election results if they lose, stating, "Anyone who thinks Netanyahu, Smotrich, and Ben-Gvir intend to concede or respect democratic outcomes does not understand who we are dealing with." He emphasized the need to prepare for attempts to undermine the democratic process and ensure a clear victory without doubts after the elections.

Describing these concerns as very real rather than hypothetical, Golan noted that efforts to delegitimize the judiciary and the election committee have already begun. He characterized the upcoming elections as "Israel's second War of Independence," underscoring the high stakes involved.

Golan's remarks come amid heightened tensions following the recent Syrian attack, reflecting fears that security incidents might be politicized to influence Israel's democratic process.