Defense Minister Israel Katz responded Saturday evening to remarks by opposition leader Yair Golan, accusing him of defaming IDF soldiers as 'murderers of Palestinian babies' and inciting against Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. Katz claimed an 80% reduction in terror attacks in the area since he took office and reiterated the IDF's indefinite presence in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza.
Defense Minister Israel Katz's statement on Saturday evening came in direct response to Yair Golan's remarks at a Democrats party rally in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, where Golan accused Katz and Prime Minister Netanyahu of having 'blood of our soldiers on their hands' over Judea and Samaria, as The Zioneer reported earlier Saturday. Katz's statement also referenced Golan's past comments that led to a ban on his entry to IDF bases.
Katz defended his tenure as defense minister, claiming an 80% reduction in terror attacks in Judea and Samaria, pointing to operations in Jenin, Nur a-Shams, and Tulkarm. He reiterated the IDF's open-ended presence in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, aligning with prior statements The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks. The exchange highlights the sharp divide between the security-focused coalition and the Democrats-led opposition over the handling of the conflict and the status of Jewish settlements.
3 developments
- DevelopingGantz accuses Golan of spreading hatred and division
- StrongYair Golan says Netanyahu and Katz have 'blood of our soldiers on their hands' over Judea and Samaria
- DevelopingYair Golan: Netanyahu unable or unwilling to end wars, uses IDF as political shield
- StrongExclusive: MK Tali Gotliv accuses Defense Minister Katz of endangering her, filing complaint
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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