Major General (res.) Ya’ir Golan, the chairman of the Democrats Party, reneged on his previous statements regarding Israel’s conduct in Gaza, stating unequivocally: “Of course Israel does not kill babies as a hobby. Israel has not committed war crimes in Gaza.”
In an interview on Channel 12’s “Meet the Press,” Golan addressed remarks he made at the beginning of the war, where he suggested starving Gaza’s population. He now says those comments are no longer applicable: “What was right then is not right today.”
Golan emphasized that his criticism was directed at the political leadership, not the IDF. “My words were aimed at the political echelon. The goal of the war is political. Hamas has been militarily defeated—we need to end the war and secure the release of all the hostages in one move.”
He also criticized far-right ministers, stating, “I don’t recall Smotrich or Ben Gvir ever being asked to apologize for their words. We cannot have political objectives shaped by people with such a worldview. As a professional, war should be waged against those who threaten Israel. If Israel values life, it cannot preach the killing of civilians.”
Responding to Defense Minister Israel Katz’s directive barring him from military bases, Golan said, “Good thing I didn’t ask Katz’s permission to put on a uniform on October 7. That day, we did what needed to be done where the Israeli government completely failed. The defense minister has no authority to prevent me from entering bases. When I need to enter, I’ll show my general’s ID—I assume they’ll let me in. Thirty-eight years of service won’t be erased by someone’s cheap populism.”
Golan was heavily criticized for an interview he gave with Kan Reshet Bet last week in which he claimed, "A sane country doesn't kill babies as a hobby," adding that "Israel is on its way to being a pariah, a South Africa once was, if it doesn't return to sanity."
He also stated that "a sane country doesn't fight a war against civilians, it doesn't aim to expel a population."
According to Golan, "This government is full of people who have no connection to Judaism. Vengeful types, lacking sense, morals, and the ability to manage a country during an emergency. This endangers our very existence."
Golan's remarks were met with condemnation from across Israel's political spectrum.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned Yair Golan's "reckless incitement against our heroic soldiers and the State of Israel. The IDF is the most moral army in the world, and our soldiers are fighting in a battle for our very existence."
He added: "Golan, who has encouraged refusal to serve and previously compared Israel to the Nazis while in uniform, has now reached a new low by claiming that Israel 'kills babies as a hobby.'
"While we are conducting a multi-front war and leading complex diplomatic efforts to free our hostages and defeat Hamas, Golan and his radical left allies echo the most despicable antisemitic blood libels against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel. There is no limit to this moral decay."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) commented on Golan's remarks without mentioning who made them: "Our soldiers are heroes and protect our lives. The statement that they kill babies as a hobby is mistaken and a gift to our enemies. I back the IDF and its soldiers and condemn the statement."
Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the comments: "Our daughters and sons are now at the front, defending us—the people, the country. They’ve left behind their hobbies, their families, their livelihoods, and their lives. Severe and false slander against IDF soldiers is a red line. Our soldiers are among the most moral in the world, and when they fight with utmost dedication to protect the nation and bring back the hostages, this is not a hobby."
National Unity Party Chairman Benny Gantz called on Golan to retract and apologize to IDF soldiers for his "extreme and false statements. IDF soldiers do not 'kill babies' as a hobby. These words are not only outrageous, false, and extreme but also endanger the freedom of our heroic soldiers in the face of international law.
"The State of Israel has been waging a just war since its establishment, doing so in accordance with international rules and the highest moral values. No one knows this better than Golan, who was Deputy Chief of Staff. Retract and apologize, Yair, it’s not too late."