Yair Golan Threatens Sara Netanyahu With $825K Libel Suit Over Oct. 7 Conspiracy

Opposition leader Yair Golan has fired a legal warning shot at Sara Netanyahu, demanding she retract baseless claims that he had advance knowledge of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre. The Democrats chief is prepared to sue the prime minister's wife for NIS 2.5 million ($825,000) in damages if she refuses to apologize and make amends to Nova festival survivors.

Golan, a former deputy IDF chief of staff, drove into the heart of the Nova massacre site on the morning of the attack, personally rescuing multiple civilians while the government's security apparatus faltered. His heroism that day has been widely documented and praised across Israel.

What did Sara Netanyahu say about Yair Golan?

In a Monday interview on the pro-government Channel 14, Sara Netanyahu pushed a conspiracy theory suggesting that Golan's rapid response to the massacre indicated he had been tipped off in advance. She questioned how a military man of his rank could be 'already dressed and ready at a very, very early hour when others didn't know, such as the prime minister.'

Her remarks echoed her husband's controversial claim that defense officials failed to wake him on the morning of the attack, sarcastically adding: 'Who is the prime minister anyway to know that a war is breaking out? Why let him know?'

Golan's response: 'They will not erase the truth'

Golan took to X on Tuesday to condemn the slander, writing: 'Sara Netanyahu spread a false conspiracy in an attempt to rewrite October 7, turning those who went out to save lives into traitors and those who abandoned Israel's security into victims.'

'We will not allow them to erase the truth and the heroism of the fighters, the volunteers, and the civilians who stepped up when the government collapsed,' he added. 'We will establish a state commission of inquiry, reveal the truth and find those responsible for the failure.'

His party, The Democrats, issued a forceful statement: 'Spreading conspiracies against General Yair Golan, and tarring his heroism on October 7, crosses a red line bordering on insanity. While Netanyahu rushed to put on makeup and search for excuses, Yair Golan charged forward and saved lives.'

A pattern of conspiracy theories in the Netanyahu family

This is not the first time the prime minister's family has dabbled in dangerous falsehoods about October 7. The Netanyahus' adult son Yair previously suggested there was treason in the lead-up to the attack, a claim his father reportedly dismissed privately while refusing to publicly dispel such theories.

When pressed during the Channel 14 interview about the treason theory, Sara Netanyahu declined to rule it out, saying: 'I don't want to talk. I don't know. There should be a real commission of inquiry.'

Nearly three years after the deadliest day in Israel's history, the government has still not established any official inquiry into the failures that allowed the massacre to unfold.

Opposition unites behind Golan

Fellow opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff and Netanyahu's main rival in the upcoming election, slammed the conspiracy theory on X: 'The outrageous conspiracy theory of treason, which has absolutely no factual basis and which the prime minister's wife spread last night, is intended solely to fan hatred and perpetuate the Netanyahu government, whose only way of ruling is to divide.'

Golan has been pursuing legal action against conspiracy peddlers since 2024, including Likud politicians and others linked to the ruling party who spread unfounded claims about his alleged involvement in planning the Hamas invasion.

As the Jewish people prepare to mark another year since the October 7 tragedy, the battle over the historical record intensifies. The truth of that day, and the heroism of those who fought and saved lives, must not be distorted by those seeking to rewrite history for political survival.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sara Netanyahu legally immune from defamation suits?

No. The wife of a prime minister does not have legal immunity under Israeli law, making her subject to defamation claims like any other citizen.

What did Yair Golan do on October 7?

Golan, a former deputy IDF chief of staff, drove to the Nova music festival massacre site on the morning of October 7 and rescued multiple people, later earning widespread praise for his bravery.

Has the Israeli government established an inquiry into October 7?

No. Nearly three years after the attack, the government has yet to form any sort of official inquiry into the failures leading up to and surrounding the massacre.