Yair Golan

Activists protest against the war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, in central Jerusalem, May 20, 2025. (Jamal Awad/Flash90)

For more Israelis, calling out war crimes is no longer taboo

Recognition of the army’s atrocities in Gaza has moved into mainstream Israeli discourse. This alone cannot end the war — but it's a profound shift.

By Meron Rapoport May 29, 2025

Israelis protest against the new Israeli government, Tel Aviv, January 7, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

The wrong kind of civil disobedience

The Israeli generals who spent their careers crushing Palestinian civil disobedience are now calling for it from Israeli Jews.

By Orly Noy January 13, 2023

Democratic Union party leaders Ehud Barak, Stav Shaffir and Nitzan Horowitz hold a press conference launching their campaign ahead of the Knesset elections. Tel Aviv, August 12, 2019 (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Meretz is the last Jewish anti-occupation party. But for how long?

As Israel’s center-left and centrist parties have dropped the topic of the occupation over the years, Meretz has remained the sole Jewish party to emphasize ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But can it continue to hold out amidst running mate Ehud Barak’s talk of annexation? By Meron Rapoport Meretz has seen its fair share of criticism…

By +972 Magazine September 6, 2019

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (center) and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (left) at a ceremony to mark Yisrael Beitenu joining the coalition. (photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

Israelis are no longer buying what Netanyahu is selling

Never has a prime minister appointed a defense minister so far beyond the consensus. For the first time in a decade, it feels like fewer people truly buy into Bibi’s lies and theatrics. By Alon Mizrahi Throughout his years in the public spotlight, Netanyahu and his advisors have been successful at doing one thing: to…

By +972 Magazine May 30, 2016

IDF Deputy Chief of General Staff Yair Golan, February 24, 2016, cropped. (Matty Stern/U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv)

The deeper meaning of IDF general’s Holocaust comparison

The deputy IDF chief of staff came under a barrage of criticism for saying trends that prevailed in pre-WWII Europe can be seen in Israel today. But if Israelis took a minute to reflect on his comments, they would realize that they were more solemn than slanderous. Headlines in Israel are blaring this Holocaust Day…

By Dahlia Scheindlin May 5, 2016

MK Haneen Zoabi addresses the Central Elections Committee during a hearing over her disqualification from Knesset elections, February 12, 2015. (Screenshot)

Who’s allowed to talk about 1930s Germany?

The Palestinian member of Knesset Israelis love to hate and the IDF deputy chief of staff make harsh but nearly identical statements invoking 1930s Germany. The statements are received very differently. IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan raised a small storm when he said at a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony Wednesday evening: “If there’s…

By Orly Noy May 5, 2016