Netanyahu files defamation lawsuit against Democrats party chair Yair Golan

Yair Golan says he is “happy for the opportunity” to put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “on the witness stand and question him about the Qatari money that flowed into his office,” after the premier filed a defamation lawsuit against the leader of The Democrats party.

According to the Ynet news site, Netanyahu filed a defamation suit against Golan on Tuesday, citing messages he sent to supporters accusing the prime minister of “selling Israel’s security for money” in the so-called Qatargate scandal.

“Not only does the message contain false and ugly content” as well as “fake news, wild incitement, and slander” but it also attempts to use such messaging to solicit donations, Ynet reports the suit as claiming.

In a lengthy statement to the press this evening, Golan lists a number of questions he plans on asking the premier should his legal team have the opportunity to question Netanyahu as part of the suit.

These include why Netanyahu approached Qatar in 2018 “with a request to fund Hamas, in complete contradiction to the position of the defense establishment” and why he continued “to demand the transfer of the suitcases of dollars to Hamas even after being warned that this was direct funding for terrorism.”

“Why did you prevent the elimination of [Yahya] Sinwar at least six times and is this related to your or your associates’ ties with Qatar?” Golan continues.

In addition, Golan questions why Netanyahu allowed Qatar to act as a mediator rather than Egypt, and why he did not fire aide Jonatan Urich, a key suspect in the ongoing Qatargate probe, after his alleged role in the scandal came to light.

“And finally, the question that looms over everything: Did you, or any of your family members, receive, directly or indirectly, money, favors or financing from the state that financed the massacre? Netanyahu, the court is the place to reveal the truth. We are ready. The public is ready,” Golan states.