A man carrying a large knife was arrested Tuesday after approaching Israeli opposition politician Yair Golan during an election day appearance in Tel Aviv, in what his party described as an alleged attempted stabbing attack.
According to a statement from the Democrats, chaired by Golan, the incident occurred during a voter mobilization tour at Railway Park in Tel Aviv. The party said an unidentified man wearing a jacket approached Golan in a threatening manner before being intercepted by his security guards.
Yair Golan
(Photo: Avigail Uzi)
As the guards moved towards the man, a large knife reportedly slipped from his clothing and fell to the ground. The guards immediately subdued him and called the police, who arrested the suspect.
The party said the security team stopped the man from taking action before anyone was injured. The suspect’s intentions have not been independently established and police have not yet released details of the investigation.
The incident comes amid heightened concerns over threats against Golan, a retired IDF major general and former deputy chief of staff. Police had previously rated the threat level against him at 4 on a six-point scale. After a long legal battle over its protection, the Shin Bet on Monday assumed responsibility for its security, according to the party.
Golan blamed the incident on what he described as a campaign of political incitement against him and his supporters.
“Incitement and violence will not deter us,” Golan said. “This is a direct consequence of the poisonous machine operated by Netanyahu and his Qatari agents.”
He urged Israelis to participate in Tuesday’s elections, saying those who value security and democracy must act to ensure Israel becomes a free and secure country again.
There was no immediate evidence establishing a political motive for the suspect’s actions or supporting Golan’s accusations against Netanyahu.
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