Official task force will investigate former PM Barak and former Knesset member for claims of incitement

An official task force is being established to examine statements made by former Prime Minister Ehud Barak former Knesset Member Yair Golan for alleged “incitement and sedition."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party issued a statement calling for “an immediate investigation” into their statements to decide whether to open a criminal investigation against the two former political figures.

Both Golan and Barak deny doing any wrongdoing and stand by their statements.

A task force was originally established by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to monitor and investigate incitement to violence by Palestinian terror groups, however, this is the first time the team is targeting Israeli citizens, let alone former high-level Israeli officials.

During an interview with Kan public radio on Tuesday, Golan – who is a retired major general from the army and served as IDF deputy chief of staff – called for "large-scale rebellion by illegal means," but stressed that violence should not be used.

“In the face of attempts to annihilate Israeli democracy, we will engage in clear and unequivocal civilian opposition, and if we need to resort to broad, nonviolent civil disobedience, that’s what we’ll do,” Golan said.

The investigative team will also examine several statements made by Barak, who called for nonviolent civil disobedience in recent days.

In addition to a short two-year stint as prime minister, Barak also served in several high level security positions including IDF chief of staff and defense minister.

Likud party called for an investigation, saying, “Those who violate the law and call for the violation of the law must pay a price, otherwise the rule of law has no meaning.”

At the end of the examination of Golan and Barak's statements, the opinion will be transferred to the State Attorney's Office in Israel for review.

Barak claimed the investigation is political intimidation.

“This is not a suspicion of sedition. This is an attempt at political intimidation of the inferior variety used by rotten regimes. An attempt to frighten Yair Golan, me, and you.”

Barak said he is not fearful of the examination and will continue to protest the judicial reforms.

“I have news for Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir - we are not afraid of anyone or anything. And we will continue to fight against the attempt to crush the judicial system and push Israel out of the family of democracies. We will fight – and in the end, we will win.”

Golan also said that he is not afraid.

“I am a law-abiding citizen and I feel that my conscience is clear, if I am summoned to the police, I will stand proudly,” he said.

In an interview, Golan compared his political record with that of Ben Gvir and Netanyahu.

“Unlike the prime minister, there are no accusations of fraud or breach of trust against me, and unlike the minister of national security, I have not been convicted eight times and 53 indictments have not been filed against me,” he said.