Yair Golan, the leader of the Democratic Party and a retired IDF Major General, sent a legal warning on Tuesday to Sarah Netanyahu, wife of Israel's Prime Minister, threatening legal action over defamation following her accusations during a Channel 14 interview.
In the interview, Netanyahu suggested Golan had foreknowledge of the October 7 attack, implying, “You are a high-ranking military man, claiming to be a fighter on October 7, already geared up early that morning when others, like the Prime Minister, were unaware.” Netanyahu also declined to assert there was no “betrayal from within” on that day.
The legal notice, sent by attorneys Giora Erdinst, Almog Gil-Or, and Jordan Shohat, demands an unequivocal public apology from Netanyahu within 24 hours and coordination of a financial compensation donation to Nova Party victims. Failure to comply will prompt a lawsuit seeking at least 2.5 million shekels.
The required apology states, “I retract my statements from the Channel 14 interview regarding Mr. Yair Golan, which were unfounded lies. Mr. Golan responded to the October 7 attack as any Israeli, leaving for the Gaza border area weapon in hand, risking his life and saving youths from the Nova festival. He learned of the Hamas attack with the first sirens at 6:29 AM on October 7.”
The notice outlines the timeline: Golan only became aware of the attack upon hearing sirens at 06:29, departed in his personal vehicle for Home Front Command headquarters, armed himself, and headed to the Gaza border area. Throughout that morning, he repeatedly ventured into the region to rescue six youths under threat.
The attorneys highlight that Netanyahu’s remarks are “slanderous lies” aimed at painting Golan as a “betrayer,” constituting a calculated attempt to damage his reputation just before elections. “Our client will not permit erasing the heroism of IDF personnel, emergency teams, and volunteers by rewriting history,” they added.
Golan commented, “They are trying to rewrite the events of October 7 to absolve Netanyahu of his responsibility for the nation’s greatest failure. This is not just an attack on me but an attack on fighters, volunteers, and citizens who stood firm as Netanyahu’s government crumbled. We will establish an official inquiry commission to uncover the truth and hold those responsible for this failure accountable.”
The Democratic Party responded to the interview, condemning it as “insane crossing of a red line,” while emphasizing Golan’s heroism during the crisis as Netanyahu sought excuses and distractions.