📰 5 sources 5 articles · 9 Oct 2026, 16:43 → 8 days ago

Golan: Assassinating Khamenei was a mistake and does not serve Israel's interests

Israeli politician Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, said that assassinating Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was a mistake and does not serve Israel's interests, arguing that the survival of a veteran leader carries a certain advantage. The remarks came during a cultural event in Rishon LeZion and ahead of Israeli elections set for 27 October, in the context of the US-Israeli war on Iran that began in February 2026 and led to Khamenei's killing.

📍 Where things stand: Golan's remarks continue to be covered by several media outlets, one of which highlighted his attack on Netanyahu and his description of the assassination as a "fatal mistake", amid the ongoing context of the war on Iran and the Israeli elections set for 27 October.

⏱️ Timeline

9 Oct 2026, 16:43 Leader of the Israeli Democrats party Yair Golan said that eliminating Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was a mistake and did not serve Israel's interests, arguing that it led to more extremist figures remaining in power. His remarks came during a cultural event in Rishon LeZion, ahead of the Israeli elections scheduled for 27 October.
9 Oct 2026, 17:46 Anadolu Agency reported that Golan, leader of the opposition Democrats party and former deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army, considered that assassinating former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was a mistake because it does not serve Israel's interests, and that Yedioth Ahronoth quoted him as saying that the survival of an elderly veteran leader carries a certain advantage. The report placed this in the context of the US-Israeli war on Iran that began in February 2026 and led to Khamenei's killing and an Iranian response.
9 Oct 2026, 18:24 Hebrew Channel 14 quoted Yair Golan, head of the Democrats party and candidate for defense minister for the left bloc, as saying during the "Jum'at al-Thaqafa" (Culture Friday) event in Rishon LeZion that assassinating Khamenei is a mistake and does not serve the interests of the state of Israel, in response to a question on whether assassinating Khamenei was a mistake.
10 Oct 2026, 12:28 Yair Golan attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and described the assassination of Khamenei as a "fatal mistake", according to what www.alghad.tv published.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

How the sources covered it

Some coverage focused on the content of Golan's statement, its background, and the context of the war on Iran and the upcoming elections, while other coverage focused on the details of the event, Golan's political role, and the reporting source; one headline led with his attack on Netanyahu and the description of the assassination as a "fatal mistake".

i24NEWS Presented the remark as "killing Khamenei was a mistake", highlighted the argument that it led to more extremist figures remaining in power, mentioned the event's location in Rishon LeZion and the Israeli election date of 27 October, and identified Golan as leader of the Democrats party.
بوابة الشروق Limited itself to a brief item conveying Golan's view that assassinating Khamenei was a mistake and does not serve Israel's interests, without details on the event or on Golan's political and military roles.
Anadolu Ajansı Highlighted Golan's identity as leader of the opposition Democrats party and former deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army, cited Yedioth Ahronoth for his remark that the survival of an elderly veteran leader carries a certain advantage, and linked the statement to the US-Israeli war on Iran since February 2026, describing Khamenei as the "former Iranian Supreme Leader".
المترجم احمد المقادمة Attributed the report to Hebrew Channel 14, named the event "Jum'at al-Thaqafa" in Rishon LeZion, described Golan as head of the Democrats party and candidate for defense minister for the left bloc, and noted that the remark came in response to a question.
www.alghad.tv Headlined the item with Golan's attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and described the assassination of Khamenei as a "fatal mistake".