A Call to Action Following Yair Golan’s Remarks
Yair Golan’s defense against the widespread criticism of his recent claim that Israel “kills babies as a hobby” is that his remarks were not directed at IDF soldiers, but rather at ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.
Disturbingly, nobody seems to have pointed to the deeper issue: that in today’s Israel, a sitting member of the Knesset can accuse cabinet ministers of sadistic and deliberate infanticide — without facing any political or public repercussions.
In a functioning democracy, such a grave slander against political opponents would lead to immediate resignation. But in Israel, in 2025, the quality of public discourse has plummeted to an unprecedented low—certainly in comparison with the standards upheld in other western democracies.
This is precisely why, at a time when Israeli society is so polarized and fractured that its very cohesion is at risk, we must demand a new standard of responsibility from all political parties across the spectrum.
It is time to elevate Israeli political discourse — shifting the focus from personal attacks and incitement to ideas, values, and policy.
We must depersonalize Israeli politics.
By this standard, any claim or criticism made by an elected official toward a political rival should be judged solely in relation to their public role—not their identity or affiliations.
In this context, Yair Golan did not merely attack Smotrich and Ben Gvir; he effectively accused hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens who support them (disclosure: I am not among them) of aligning themselves with what he portrayed as “sadistic, deliberate killing of infants.”
That, in essence, is the true significance of Golan’s words: the demonization and incitement against a large and legitimate segment of Israeli society. For this, the public must demand that Yair Golan either offer a sincere and unambiguous apology—or resign from public office.
Looking ahead to the upcoming elections, any political support from the public should be made contingent upon one clear condition: a party platform that commits to clean, respectful, and idea-driven political discourse.
Only through such a commitment can we begin to heal the deep wounds afflicting Israeli society.
