'I wouldn't be surprised if Yair Golan betrayed Israel on Oct. 7': Likud MK slams left-wing MK

On October 7, two hours after Hamas's rampage began, Golan drove south to rescue Nova Festival survivors.

By WALLA!, JERUSALEM POST STAFF JANUARY 7, 2025 19:41 Updated: JANUARY 7, 2025 19:54

Leader of the Democrats party Yair Golan (L), Likud MK Nissim Vaturi (R) (illustrative). (photo credit: Canva, YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

"I wouldn’t be surprised if [Democrats MK] Yair Golan betrayed [Israel] on October 7," Likud MK Nissim Vaturi claimed in an interview with the Knesset Channel on Tuesday.

When asked by the interviewer whether he truly believes Golan betrayed the country, Vaturi responded, "With his statements, I wouldn’t be surprised by anything."

ח"כ ניסים ואטורי: לא אתפלא אם יאיר גולן בגד ב-7.10 יובל קרני: "אתה באמת מאמין שיאיר גולן בגד?"ח"כ ואטורי: "עם האימרות שלו אני לא אתפלא על שום דבר"יובל קרני: "כולל בגידה?"ח"כ ואטורי: "כן"יובל קרני: "יאיר גולן, להזכירך, הלך להציל אנשים בשבעה באוקטובר"חבר הכנסת מהליכוד: "לא… pic.twitter.com/vGE2tU2jOS

— ערוץ כנסת (@KnessetT) January 7, 2025

However, the interviewer pressed, "Yair Golan, to remind you, went to save people on October 7," but Vaturi remained unconvinced, and declared, "I don’t know if he saved anyone."

The Democrats party later responded in outrage to Vaturi, "Anyone who lies and spreads poison will pay! Anyone who spreads conspiracies will be sued, and we will see that justice is served. We have launched a campaign to clean house, and we are determined to fight with all available means. No one involved in the poison machine will be immune. We are done staying silent—we have declared war."

"MK Vaturi, who since October 7 has done nothing but fuel hatred and division in Israeli society, is trying to label a retired major general and former deputy chief of staff as a traitor—after he left his home during the darkest hour and ran into the fire to save lives," National Unity head Benny Gantz said on X/Twitter in response to Vaturi's declaration.

National Unity chairman MK Benny Gantz holds a faction meeting in the Knesset, in Jerusalem, December 9, 2024 (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

 

"A distorted and upside-down world," Gantz added.

ח״כ ואטורי, שמאז ה-7.10 לא עושה דבר מלבד להוסיף שנאה ופילוג בחברה הישראלית, מנסה לתייג אלוף במיל׳ וסגן רמטכ״ל לשעבר כבוגד, אחרי שיצא מביתו בשעה הקשה ביותר אל תוך האש כדי להציל חיים. עולם הפוך ומעוות.

— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) January 7, 2025

Democrats MK Efrat Rayten called out Vaturi's alleged hypocrisy on X, "Vaturi, a Likud member and Deputy Knesset Speaker, is once again fueling conspiracies, nonsense, and incitement. He awards recognition to Eyal Golan but calls Major General Yair Golan a traitor."

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Democrats MK Naama Lazimi called Golan a hero on X, and called Vaturi a disgrace. "He saved civilians on October 7 without hesitation while Bibi was cowering in the nuclear bunker, hiding from the public. One of the results of 'Bibi-ism' is a figure like Nissim Vaturi, who disgraces the Knesset daily and even dares to call Yair Golan a traitor and cast doubt on his heroism."

Golan's actions on October 7

On October 7, two hours after Hamas's rampage began, Golan drove south to rescue Nova Festival survivors. "This is something I never saw previously - not in Beirut, not in the West Bank, not in the Gaza Strip," Golan told Reuters in an interview, reflecting on his nearly 40 years of combat experience.

Reuters contributed to this report.