In times of war, restraint can be a civic duty as well as a virtue. As Israeli soldiers fight and continue to die, and hostage families cling to the hope that their loved ones will return from Hamas captivity, the very least our political leaders can do is not make things worse.
And yet, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, Yair Golan and Tally Gotliv seem determined to pour acid into the national bloodstream.
Golan, a former IDF major general and current left-wing firebrand, has crossed a red line. In a statement that caused outrage across the political spectrum, he claimed: “Israel is on the path to becoming a pariah state among the nations – like the South Africa of old – if it does not return to behaving like a sane country,” Golan said.
“A sane country does not wage war against civilians, does not kill babies for a hobby, and does not set goals involving the expulsion of populations.”
These are not the words of a thoughtful statesman. They are the words of someone who would rather score ideological points than protect his country’s moral and strategic standing. Golan’s remarks have been roundly condemned by some of Israel’s most respected security figures.
Former Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) chief Yuval Diskin accused Golan of “undermining Israel’s legitimacy” and “playing into the hands of our enemies.” Former IDF general Yitzhak Brick added that his language “gives ammunition to antisemites around the world.”
But Golan isn’t alone in his recklessness. On the political right, Likud MK Tally Gotliv said in an interview on the Knesset TV channel on Monday that she did not heed comments by released hostages since they have been “brainwashed” in Hamas captivity.
Arbel Yehoud accuses gov’t of ‘abandoning’ hostages
Gotliv’s remark came in response to comments by released hostage Arbel Yehoud during a Knesset committee discussion earlier on Monday, in which Yehoud accused the government of “abandoning” the hostages and “sacrificing them in favor of a solution to the problem of Gaza.”
Yehoud was taken hostage by Hamas in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and was released in January 2025 as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas.
How dare a sitting member of Knesset talk to a hostage like that! How dare she think this is acceptable! This is not the language of a public servant. It is the language of someone more concerned with posturing than compassion. Gotliv defended her comments by saying she spoke “out of pain,” but pain is no excuse for cruelty. Her job is not to antagonize the bereaved, but to represent them.
Together, Golan and Gotliv represent the worst instincts of Israeli politics: the urge to speak before thinking, to inflame before healing, and to prioritize ideology over unity. Their remarks don’t help win the war, free the hostages, or build the future. They only sow division, embolden our enemies, and demoralize those still praying for resolution.
Neither of them speaks for the majority of Israelis. Most citizens – whether left, right, or center – are exhausted by the constant noise. They want action, not agitation. They want their leaders to behave like adults, not Twitter provocateurs. They want calm leadership, not verbal grenades hurled into an already fragile national mood.
We are a country that has been through too much to tolerate politicians who act like arsonists. This is not about silencing dissent. It is about demanding accountability. It is about asking those in positions of influence to weigh their words carefully, especially in wartime.
When Yair Golan says we are a murderous nation, he hands a propaganda victory to Hamas. When Tally Gotliv accuses hostage families of sabotaging the war effort she undermines the national soul.
Both should know better. Both should be better. But if they can’t be, then the rest of us must learn to tune them out. Their voices are loud, but they are not representative. Their rhetoric is toxic, but it is not permanent.
In a moment where unity could be our greatest asset, the country deserves leadership that knows when to speak and when to stay silent. Those who cannot rise to that level of basic responsibility should do us all a favor and step aside.
Because in a normal democracy, politicians are here to serve the people. Not spit on them from their lofty thrones. Those who come out with comments like Golan and Gotliv had best remember that.
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