Katz instructs the army not to call up Golan for reserve duty and to prevent him from wearing military uniform.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced on Friday that he had instructed the military not to call up reserve general Yair Golan again for duty, to ban him from wearing the army uniform or entering its bases, and to strip him of his military rank through new Knesset legislation.

Katz said in his statement: "In light of Yair Golan's actions and his fabrication of a bloody slander against IDF soldiers, with his reckless and false accusation that they kill Palestinian children as a 'hobby,' I have decided to instruct the IDF not to call him up again for reserve duty, and to prevent him from wearing the IDF uniform or entering its bases."

He added, "His dangerous statements will be exploited by Israel's enemies to pursue our soldiers around the world and take them to international courts to deprive them of their freedom. As the Minister of Defense responsible for the safety of IDF soldiers, I cannot overlook this."

Katz continued, "I support the legislation currently in the Knesset, which gives the defense minister the authority to strip reserve officers of their ranks due to similar statements or behavior." He concluded, "There is no place for people like Golan in public life, and I expect everyone to condemn him and disavow his behavior."

In response, Democratic Party leader Lieutenant General (res.) Yair Golan responded to Katz's decision, saying, "Minister of Evasion, the last time I wore the army uniform was on October 7, when I headed south to rescue civilians after your government's terrible security failure."

"I promise you that I will continue to do everything in my power for Israel and its security, and I am confident that you will continue to be hypocritical towards Netanyahu and his poison machine," Golan (a reserve major general who served as deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army between 2014 and 2017) added.

Last Tuesday, the leader of the Democratic Party (a Labor-Meretz alliance) sparked widespread controversy in Israel after he said, "A rational state does not wage war against civilians, does not kill children as a hobby, and does not pursue a policy of population displacement."

Defending his remarks, which were met with harsh criticism within Israel, Golan stressed at a press conference Tuesday evening that "when ministers in Netanyahu's government celebrate the death and starvation of children in Gaza, the truth must be told and spoken about."

Golan considered that "the war in Gaza began as a strong and correct response to the attack launched by Hamas. It was a justified and necessary war to protect Israel's security." He continued, "What began as a just battle has today, at the hands of this failed government, been transformed into a war without any purpose and without a security or national objective."

Golan emphasized that "what we are seeing today in Gaza is not a hostage release operation; they could have all been freed long ago through a comprehensive deal." He emphasized that he was referring to "Netanyahu's failed government, not the army."