Designer Depicts Golan as Terrorist: Chairman Strikes Back
Former IDF commander Yair Golan sues designer Or Reichert for NIS 300,000 over images depicting him as Hamas terrorist, part of ongoing legal battle against defamation.
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Yair Golan, chairman of the left-wing Democrats party, has filed a NIS 300,000 defamation lawsuit against designer Or Reichert, alleging that Reichert published images depicting him as a Hamas terrorist.
The lawsuit, submitted to the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court, centers on “a series of graphic designs presenting Golan wearing a keffiyeh, as a Hamas terrorist, and as someone assisting the organization.”
“We are determined to dismantle the poison machine and will continue to fight it with full force,” Golan said in a statement, highlighting the personal and political stakes of the case.
The Democrats also noted Reichert’s prior work for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, alleging that he was paid tens of thousands of shekels for video production.
“Those who poison the public discourse must know they will be held accountable,” the statement added.
Part of a larger legal battle
This lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal actions Golan has taken against what he calls a systematic campaign of slander from right-wing political figures. In January, he announced suits against Likud MK Tally Gotliv and Otzma Yehudit’s Almog Cohen, “for spreading conspiracies and lies across the internet and from the Knesset plenum rostrum.” Gotliv had previously received a warning letter demanding NIS 250,000 ($68,000) in damages and a public apology.
Both Gotliv and Cohen have promoted unfounded internet theories claiming Golan was involved in espionage against Israel following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks.
Golan’s personal heroism highlighted
A former IDF Northern Front and Home Front commander, Golan gained widespread attention in 2023 when he personally went to the front lines during the October 7 Hamas onslaught. He helped rescue civilians fleeing the massacre at the Nova Festival, earning both accolades and national recognition.
With this latest legal action, Golan signals that he will continue to push back against misinformation and attacks on his reputation.