Pariah Among Nations: General’s Gaza war warnings rock Israeli Leadership
Shafaq News/ A political firestorm has erupted in Israel following a series of explosive statements by Yair Golan, leader of the Democratic Party, who accused the Israeli government of losing its moral compass amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
His remarks triggered swift and widespread backlash from across the Israeli political spectrum, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ministers, and opposition figures.
Golan warned that Israel risks becoming “a pariah among nations,” sharply criticizing what he described as a government “driven by revenge and devoid of ethics.” In a series of pointed statements carried by Israeli media, he accused the leadership of targeting civilians, killing children as a matter of policy, and pursuing population displacement. “A normal state does not wage war against civilians or treat killing children as a hobby,” he said.
His comments came in the context of growing public debate over the war’s direction, the fate of Israeli hostages in Gaza, and internal rifts among far-right ministers. Golan said the war has become the realization of Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich’s ideological dreams and warned that Israel must “end the war, return the hostages, and rebuild itself.”
את השיטה של גנץ להתחנף לנתניהו, סמוטריץ ובן גביר כבר ניסינו - והיא נכשלה.הכוונה בדבריי הייתה ברורה: המלחמה הזו היא מימוש הפנטזיות של בן גביר וסמוטריץ. ואם ניתן להם לממש אותן, נהפוך למדינה מוקצית. הגיע הזמן שיהיה לנו עמוד שדרה מפלדה מחושלת - עלינו לעמוד על הערכים שלנו כמדינה…
— Yair Golan - יאיר גולן (@YairGolan1) May 20, 2025
Netanyahu condemned Golan’s accusations as “morally bankrupt,” saying the former general had “sunk to a new low by comparing Israel to the Nazis.” He added that such statements serve Israel’s enemies and distort the sacrifices of soldiers fighting “for our survival.” Finance Minister Smotrich called Golan a liar engaged in “blood conspiracies to kill us,” while Ben Gvir accused him of spreading “anti-Semitic slanders.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Golan’s comments were “unforgivable” and would fuel anti-Semitism globally, while Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi labeled him [Golan] a “terrorist” undermining national security. Defense Minister Israel Katz said those who compare Israel to the Nazis during wartime should be “ostracized.”
Opposition leaders also distanced themselves. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that “Hamas is the only one killing children,” while Yair Lapid rejected Golan’s claims as “lies that reward our enemies” and reaffirmed his support for the army.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Smotrich made headlines through separate leaked remarks to Israel Hayom, where he revealed that the US position on Gaza remains unchanged and that President Donald Trump continues to support Israel's migration plan for the territory. Smotrich said seizing 75% of Gaza and maintaining “intense, sustained military pressure” would collapse Hamas, asserting that Israel plans to flatten the area between the Morag and Philadelphi corridors to enable US companies to distribute aid.
He also reignited tensions with National Security Minister Ben Gvir, calling him a “criminal” who leaks confidential information from the cabinet and engages in “populism to win votes.”
The escalation comes amid stalled hostage negotiations and heavy Israeli bombardment of Gaza, which has drawn mounting international concern over the humanitarian crisis and growing questions about the war’s objectives.
Since the Israeli war on Gaza started on October 7, 2023, at least 61,709 Palestinians have been killed, including 17,492 children, with over 111,588 injured.
