High-profile case9/1/2026

Yair Golan Demands That Sara Netanyahu Apologize and Pay 2.5 Million Shekels

Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, sent Sara Netanyahu a pre-litigation warning over potential defamation proceedings concerning her statements about his actions on the morning of October 7. He is demanding a public apology within 24 hours and compensation, failing which he intends to go to court.

Key facts

•Parties: Yair Golan and Sara Netanyahu
•Stage: pre-litigation warning
•Deadline for apology: 24 hours
•Potential lawsuit: no less than 2.5 million shekels
•Time of the first sirens cited: 06:29
•No case number or court name

How the Dispute Arose

In an interview with Channel 14, Sara Netanyahu said that Golan had been at the scene since the early morning hours of October 7, “dressed and ready,” at a time when others, including the prime minister, had not yet learned of the attack. According to Walla, she provided no evidence that Golan knew about the attack in advance. When Netanyahu was asked about the betrayal theory, she did not answer directly.

What Golan Is Demanding

The pre-litigation warning was sent by attorneys Giora Erdinast, Almog Gil-Or, and Yarden Shohat. They regard the statements as false and defamatory, saying they portray Golan as though he were involved in a betrayal. Sara Netanyahu was asked to publicly retract her remarks within 24 hours, apologize, and agree to compensation that would be transferred in full to survivors of the attack on the Nova festival.

The Account of Events Presented in the Letter

According to Golan’s attorneys’ account, he learned of the attack after the first sirens at 06:29, drove his private vehicle to the Home Front Command headquarters, obtained an assault rifle there, and then headed to the area bordering the Gaza Strip. The letter says that he repeatedly entered the area that morning where Nova festival participants were fleeing and rescued six people.

No Lawsuit Has Yet Been Filed

If the demands are not met, Golan is threatening to file a lawsuit for no less than 2.5 million shekels. The cited source contains no information indicating that a lawsuit has actually been filed, that a court has initiated legal proceedings, or that any ruling has been issued. In response, the Likud party said that Sara Netanyahu did not support the conspiracy theory regarding the events of October 7, but rather said the opposite.

What this means for you

A pre-litigation letter does not mean that a lawsuit has actually been filed or that its recipient is obligated to pay the stated amount. If the dispute reaches court, both parties will have to prove their positions, and the court will determine final liability and the amount of any potential compensation; the source does not indicate that such proceedings have begun.

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