Yair Golan sues Sara Netanyahu over October 7 conspiracy claims

Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party and former deputy chief of staff, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The legal action seeks 2.5 million shekels in damages following comments made by Sara Netanyahu during a Channel 14 interview. In those remarks, she suggested that Golan possessed prior knowledge of the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, noting he was “already dressed and ready” while others, including the Prime Minister, were unaware of the situation.

Golan characterizes these claims as a “conspiracy theory” intended to deflect responsibility for the intelligence and security failures surrounding the October 7 massacre. He argues the statements constitute incitement to violence and have endangered his safety. The lawsuit comes amid a highly polarized political climate as Israel approaches general elections on October 27.

Separately, recent polling by Lazar Research indicates a significant decline for the Likud party. Support for the party has dropped to 19 seats, its lowest level since May 2025. In contrast, the Yashar party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, remains the largest in the survey with 25 seats. The current governing coalition is projected to hold 50 seats, while opposition parties hold 58.