Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the Israel Defense Forces to discharge opposition politician Maj. Gen. (res.) Yair Golan, leader of The Democrats party, from reserve duty and ban him from military bases.
“In light of the conduct of Golan, who spread a blood libel against IDF soldiers with the reckless and false accusation that they ‘kill Palestinian babies as a hobby,’ I have decided to instruct the IDF not to summon him for reserve duty, to prohibit him from wearing the IDF uniform, and to bar him from entering IDF bases,” Ynet quoted Katz as saying on Friday.
The minister said Golan’s statement will be exploited by Israel’s enemies in their effort to prosecute IDF soldiers around the world, to detain them and “strip them of their freedom.”
Katz stressed that as the defense minister responsible for the safety of IDF soldiers, he cannot let Golan’s remark pass without consequence.
He added that he had decided to support legislation being advanced in the Knesset that would authorize the defense minister to revoke ranks, through a formal process, from reserve officers for statements similar in nature to Golan’s, according to Ynet.
In response to a request for comment, Golan said, “The last time I wore an IDF uniform was on October 7, when I went south to help save civilians following the terrible security failure of your government. I promise to continue doing everything I can for Israel and its security—and I’m sure you’ll continue flattering [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his toxic propaganda machine.”
The controversy was sparked by Golan’s comments on Tuesday in an interview with Israel’s Kan radio.
“Israel is on the path to becoming a pariah among nations, like South Africa once was, if it doesn’t return to acting like a sane state,” he said. “A sane state does not wage war against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby, and does not set goals for itself of population expulsion.”
Golan accused the government of having “nothing whatsoever to do with Judaism. Kahanist types, lacking wisdom, lacking morality and lacking the ability to manage a state in times of emergency. This endangers our very existence. Therefore, it is time to replace this government as soon as possible so that this war can also come to an end.”
The former IDF deputy chief of staff said that his statement was aimed at the Israeli government—not IDF soldiers.
“IDF soldiers are heroes; the government ministers are corrupt. The IDF is moral, and the people are upright—the government is crooked,” he said in the wake of the public storm.
On Thursday, Israeli Cabinet members accused Golan of having incited the Washington, D.C., terrorist attack in which two Israeli embassy staffers were murdered.
“The last tweet of Yaron Lischinsky—may God avenge his blood—the embassy employee who was murdered in the Washington terror attack, was fighting against the U.N.’s blood libel about imminent danger of death by starvation for 14,000 babies in Gaza,” Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli said in a social media post.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said: “Yair Golan’s blood libels are echoing among Nazis and Israel-haters around the world. We are now paying the price for them in the murderous attack in Washington, and history teaches us that we will pay more in the future.”
