Democrat party chairman Yair Golan sought to further clarify and retract controversial comments he made earlier in the week that sparked fierce criticism across the political spectrum, insisting that he never accused the IDF of killing babies in Gaza for sport.
In a Channel 12 interview, Golan unequivocally rejected the idea that he believed Israel had intentionally targeted infants in Gaza. “Certainly not,” he said when asked directly. “I wasn’t speaking about the military at all. I didn’t say that.” The former IDF deputy chief of staff emphasized that his remarks were directed at extremist elements in Israel’s political leadership, not the army.
Golan pointed to inflammatory rhetoric from far-right government figures calling to “destroy” and “erase” Gaza as the real target of his criticism. Holding up a sheet of quotes during the broadcast, he said, “These are the voices shaping the political aims handed to the IDF — aims that have nothing to do with our actual security interests.”
The backlash stemmed from comments Golan made Tuesday during a Kan interview, where he warned that Israel was in danger of becoming a global pariah if it didn’t return to more ethical conduct. “A sane country does not fight against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby, and does not set itself the aim of expelling populations,” he said at the time — remarks that triggered a firestorm and accusations of slandering the military.
Though he quickly clarified that he was condemning government policy and not IDF conduct, yesterday’s comments were the most direct attempt yet to disavow any suggestion that he had implied intentional brutality by soldiers.
Pressed about his own past statements — particularly one made just days after the October 7 massacre — Golan defended his earlier call to halt all aid to Gaza until the hostages were freed. At the time, he had said, “Until these [hostages] are released, as far as we care you can starve to death — it’s completely legitimate.” On Saturday, he argued that this was meant as pressure on Hamas, not the civilian population, and insisted, “What may have made sense on October 13 as an opening shot no longer applies 20 months into a drawn-out war.”
Golan, who played a visible role in rescue efforts during the October 7 attack — notably helping evacuate revelers fleeing the Nova music festival — also blasted the recent decision by Defense Minister Yisroel Katz to bar him from reserve service and military bases. Katz accused Golan of “spreading a blood libel” and claimed his words would be weaponized by Israel’s enemies in legal cases against IDF troops.
“The defense minister has no legal authority to block me from entering bases,” Golan said defiantly. “If I need to go in, I’ll show my general’s ID. Thirty-eight years of service won’t be erased by some wave of populism.”
He also criticized Katz’s support for a proposed law that would allow him to strip officers of their ranks over statements deemed harmful to the military. “Good thing I didn’t wait for Katz’s permission on October 7,” Golan said. “That day, when the state failed, we did what needed to be done.”
Calling the latest round of fighting in Gaza “entirely unnecessary,” Golan said the military campaign had achieved its goals and that it was time for a political resolution. “Hamas has been defeated, by every accepted military standard,” he declared. “What needs to happen now is very simple: stop the war, release the hostages in one deal, and put in place an alternative to Hamas rule.”
While Golan remains a divisive figure, he briefly united much of the country in the chaotic aftermath of October 7. But his recent rhetoric has reignited deep divisions and raised questions about the boundaries of criticism in wartime Israel.

{Matzav.com}