Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats Party, sparked political backlash Tuesday after appearing to accuse the state of Israel of killing babies “as a hobby” during a radio interview.
Speaking to public broadcaster Kan, Golan warned that Israel was “on the way to becoming a pariah state, the South Africa of the past—if it does not return to behaving like a sane country.” He added, “A sane country does not wage war against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby and does not set goals of population expulsion.”
Golan, a former IDF general and deputy minister, also criticized the current government, calling it “full of vengeful, immoral individuals” who lack the ability to manage a state in crisis. “This government,” he said, “is dangerous to our very existence.”
The comments drew swift condemnation from both coalition and opposition lawmakers. Shortly after the interview aired, Golan issued a clarifying statement but did not retract his remarks.
“The meaning of my words was clear,” he wrote. “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 continue, Israel will become a pariah state.”
Golan emphasized that his criticism was directed at the government, not the military. “IDF soldiers are heroes, the government ministers are corrupt. The IDF is moral, the people are decent and the government is crooked,” he said. “We must end the war, bring back the hostages and rebuild Israel."
Netanyahu slams Golan: 'The vilest antisemitic blood libels'
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Golan’s comments amounted to a “blood libel against the State of Israel and its army,” warning that his statements would “undoubtedly fuel global antisemitism” at a time when Israel is “fighting for its survival against a coalition seeking its destruction.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the outrage, referencing Golan’s past comparison of Israeli society to the Nazi regime and declaring that he “should be cast out of public life.” Katz called Golan’s statement—accusing IDF soldiers of “killing babies in Gaza as a hobby”—a “despicable blood libel” against soldiers risking their lives in combat to rescue hostages and defeat Hamas.
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi went further, calling Golan a mehabel—a Hebrew term meaning both “saboteur” and “terrorist”—and accused him of undermining Israel’s war aims, the IDF’s security and the country’s democracy.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir accused Golan of adopting Hamas propaganda. “Golan’s only hobby has always been spreading antisemitic blood libels against Israel,” he said. “He should be ashamed.”
Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer added: “It is painful that anyone would choose to point a blaming finger at his own country during such a difficult time, while ignoring the brutal reality Israel faces. Golan’s words are falsehoods and a gift to our enemies.”
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Education Minister Yoav Kisch called on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to open a criminal investigation into Golan’s statements. “You should be ashamed,” Kisch wrote. “These kinds of slanders are heard only from our worst enemies.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also weighed in, issuing a strong condemnation. “I strongly denounce Golan’s incitement against our heroic soldiers and the state,” he said. “The IDF is the most moral army in the world, and our soldiers are fighting for our very existence. Golan, who has encouraged draft-dodging and once compared Israel to the Nazis while in uniform, has reached a new low.”
Netanyahu accused Golan and the radical left of echoing “the vilest antisemitic blood libels against IDF soldiers” during a critical multi-front war and diplomatic efforts to free hostages and defeat Hamas. “There is no limit to this moral decay,” he added.
Knesset member Tzvi Succot told Ynet that Golan’s remarks were “a horrifyingly cynical bid to return to power,” saying they harmed IDF soldiers and gave ammunition to antisemites. “This is a deeply sad moment,” he said, adding that “the opposition is now marked by who can attack Israel the hardest—Golan just took it one step too far.”
President Isaac Herzog also condemned Golan, though he stopped short of naming him directly. “Our sons and daughters are on the front lines, defending the people and the state,” Herzog said.
“They left behind their hobbies, their families, their livelihoods and their lives. A mendacious and grave slander against IDF soldiers is a red line. Our soldiers are among the most moral in the world. When they fight with courage to protect the people and bring home the hostages—this is no hobby.”
Opposition leaders join chorus of condemnation against Golan
Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman wrote on X: “I condemn Yair Golan’s remarks. The IDF is the most moral army in the world, and such false statements harm our soldiers and national security.”
National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz urged Golan to retract his comments and apologize to IDF soldiers for what he called “radical and false” statements. “IDF soldiers do not ‘kill babies as a hobby,’” Gantz said. “These comments are not only offensive, false and extreme, but also endanger our heroic soldiers by exposing them to international legal risk. Israel has always fought just wars in line with international law and moral values. Golan, as a former IDF deputy chief of staff, should know this.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid also responded, without naming Golan directly: “Our fighters are heroes who defend our lives. The claim that they kill babies for sport is wrong and a gift to our enemies. I stand with the IDF and its soldiers and condemn the statement.”
Former defense minister Yoav Gallant added: “The question is not how a retired general became hostile to the IDF, but how someone hostile to the IDF became a general.”
Golan in December: 'Not party to ethnic cleansing claim'
Golan struck a different tone last December when asked about allegations of ethnic cleansing in Gaza. After former defense minister and IDF chief of staff Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon accused the army of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza, Golan said: “I do not share that assessment. The IDF operates according to moral standards and international law.”
He added that the real problem lay with irresponsible ministerial rhetoric. “What will the world think when one minister talks about a nuclear bomb in Gaza and another about encouraging voluntary emigration? These ministers incriminate Israel more than anyone else.”
In a faction meeting at the time, Golan also pushed back against government calls to settle in Gaza. “Some in the government want to resettle Gaza—that’s the understatement of the year. The statements are well-documented. We will oppose with full force any attempt to reenter the enclave. Given today’s reality, such threats are entirely relevant, and we must be prepared.”