Egypt Daily News – Yair Golan, a former major general in the Israeli army and current leader of the left-wing Democrats party, has ignited a fierce political backlash after accusing the Israeli government of waging war on civilians in Gaza. In a controversial interview with Israel’s Kan public radio, Golan stated, “A sane country does not wage war against civilians, does not kill babies for a hobby, and does not set goals involving the expulsion of populations.”
Golan’s remarks, which he later clarified were aimed at Israel’s leadership and not its soldiers, have nonetheless provoked widespread condemnation across Israel’s political spectrum. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the comments as “wild incitement,” accusing Golan of spreading “the most despicable anti-Semitic blood libels” against the Israeli military and the state itself.
“The IDF is the most moral army in the world, and our soldiers are fighting in a campaign for our very existence,” Netanyahu said. “There is no limit to the moral rot.”
President Isaac Herzog also weighed in, calling Golan’s words a “red line” and “false slander” against Israeli troops who “left their hobbies as well as their families, jobs, and lives at home” to defend the nation.
The reaction was swift and severe. The World Jewish Congress canceled a scheduled private talk by Golan, while Education Minister Yoav Kisch called for an investigation into potential incitement. Opposition leaders, including Yair Lapid, joined the chorus of criticism, saying Golan’s rhetoric was harmful and served only to aid Israel’s enemies.
Yet Golan has refused to back down. In a series of statements and social media posts, he doubled down on his claims, arguing that Israel’s war in Gaza, initially justified as a response to the brutal October 7 Hamas attack, has morphed into a campaign with no clear national or security purpose.
“This war began as a just and necessary response to a horrific terror attack,” Golan wrote on X. “But it has turned into something else under this failing government, a war with no end, no direction, and no moral compass.”
He specifically targeted members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s far-right coalition, accusing them of turning the war into a vehicle for ideological goals, including the mass displacement of Palestinians. “This war is the realization of the fantasies of [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir and [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich. If we allow them to put these ideas into action, we will become a pariah state,” Golan warned.
The former deputy chief of staff, once lauded for his heroism in the early days of the war, including reportedly rescuing civilians during the October 7 attack, has long been an outspoken critic of Israel’s right-wing leadership. In 2024, he accused Netanyahu of prioritizing political survival over national security when the prime minister fired then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Golan’s party, The Democrats, a coalition of several left-leaning factions, has been rising in recent polls amid growing domestic unease over the war’s humanitarian toll and international criticism of Israel’s blockade of aid to Gaza. His supporters argue that, despite the provocative language, Golan is articulating an uncomfortable truth that many Israelis are beginning to confront.
“Yair Golan spoke a truth that is uncomfortable to the Israeli ear,” stated an editorial in the liberal newspaper Haaretz. “That is the most accurate explanation for the attack on MK Yair Golan from nearly the entire political spectrum.”
Amid the storm, Golan issued a clarification: “My criticism is directed at the leadership, not the soldiers. I’ve served in the military. I know the character of our fighters, but a government that speaks of starving children and abandoning hostages sounds more like Hamas than a democratic state.”
Despite the backlash, Golan remains resolute in his call for a cease-fire and a hostage exchange deal. “We owe it to the hostages, to the combat soldiers in the field, and to the people of Israel to be a sane country, one that does not kill children, either as a hobby or as a policy.”
