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Tomconroy

(7,611 posts)
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 05:47 AM Oct 2023

Major General Yair Golan:







If you don't live in Israel or consume Israeli media, you don't know who Yair Golan is. He is a 61-year-old retired Major General in the Israel army and a former parliament MP. Spend a minute to read this story.

Yesterday, when IDF and the police were in complete chaos, Golan put on his old uniform, took his weapon, and drove into the war zone multiple times to rescue civilians under fire. He rescued two young adults hiding under a bush after 260 of their friends were murdered at an outdoor party. He answered a call from a journalist that his son was hiding under fire and simply said, "Give me his location, and I will bring him back home." An hour later, the son called his father from Golan's car.

Golan collected a small crew and went in and out of the war zone, rescuing dozens of people while exchanging fire with Hamas terrorists. He is 61, he could have stayed home, but he chose to risk his life for people he does not know.

Golan is one of the strongest voices from the Israeli left and was constantly attacked by the right wing in Israel. But when the time came, he was first fighting the barbaric attack. The same brain wiring that supports peace, is often the same wiring that drives people to do the right thing.

A true hero.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yair_Golan
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Major General Yair Golan: (Original Post) Tomconroy Oct 2023 OP
I know a former American General who did things like that DFW Oct 2023 #1
Wesley Clark COL Mustard Oct 2023 #6
Wes Clark, indeed. DFW Oct 2023 #9
And as a matter of coincidence, I ran into that former colleague recently COL Mustard Oct 2023 #26
The situation called for action.................... Lovie777 Oct 2023 #2
A true hero and true leadership. Irish_Dem Oct 2023 #3
A soldiers soldier. MarineCombatEngineer Oct 2023 #4
+1 Agree.. A Mensch mitch96 Oct 2023 #12
I agree! burrowowl Oct 2023 #23
As is almost always the case, true bravery and courage comes from the left, not the right RAB910 Oct 2023 #5
A soldier fighting for peace and fighting for lives when peace is impossible hueymahl Oct 2023 #7
Wow, talk about guts. Joinfortmill Oct 2023 #8
He is Meretz Israeli Oct 2023 #10
Begs the question... getagrip_already Oct 2023 #11
An excellent example of the fact that you can understand both sides, but must defend your own Martin68 Oct 2023 #13
Weren't they going to indict him for civil disobedience earlier this year? carpetbagger Oct 2023 #14
TY & Major Gen Golan Cha Oct 2023 #15
I think I'm going to cry, Cha.There's a crapload of horrible posts today, & this OP pierced my heart Hekate Oct 2023 #16
I know Hekate I feel the same 🕊️🕯️❤️‍🩹 Cha Oct 2023 #17
Understood. halobeam Oct 2023 #22
Could be a movie... awesome. WarGamer Oct 2023 #18
ive know a couple of retired israeli officers moonshinegnomie Oct 2023 #19
Bless this man orangecrush Oct 2023 #20
It would be great if more people knew about him senseandsensibility Oct 2023 #21
There must be a better... alimbalt Oct 2023 #24
Heavens knows I don't like CNN senseandsensibility Oct 2023 #25

DFW

(56,972 posts)
1. I know a former American General who did things like that
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 06:02 AM
Oct 2023

In hairy situations in the Balkan War, he used to order his jeep stopped and scale down the side of a ravine to see if he could save car accident victims. He was commander of NATO for a while. He was and is a true Democrat, definitely one of us. He even briefly ran for president in 2004, but was overshadowed by Howard.

COL Mustard

(7,033 posts)
6. Wesley Clark
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 07:36 AM
Oct 2023

I know this story. An old acquaintance of mine was with him then. Years later, I talked to him briefly about a technical subject. My 3-star wasn't in the office when the phone rang, and as it happened I knew a lot about the subject so I got to brief him. Interesting times.

DFW

(56,972 posts)
9. Wes Clark, indeed.
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 08:09 AM
Oct 2023

He's originally from Arkansas, but was recently living in northern Virginia, not too far from my brother.

A Rhodes Scholar, he is one towering intellect, in contrast to his small stature. The only time I ever won a disagreement with him was just after Cheney-Bush invaded Iraq. Wes was sure they would try to invade Iran next, and I said I didn't think so. He asked what made me so sure, and I said that the Republicans were essentially cowards. They didn't like to invade places they were fairly sure would shoot back. I pointed out Panama (Bush) and Grenada (Reagan) as the sort of place Republicans liked to attack. I said Iraq was a massive miscalculation, and reminded Wes of what Rumsfeld said at the onset of the 2003 invasion: "maybe six days, maybe six weeks, certainly not six months." Oops. Like I said, not a change of heart, just a miscalculation. They really didn't think Iraq would shoot back, and they knew that Iran would. That is the only time I can remember when I was right and Wes was wrong. Of course, he also knew fifty times more about just about everything than I did, so he had a head start.

COL Mustard

(7,033 posts)
26. And as a matter of coincidence, I ran into that former colleague recently
Thu Oct 19, 2023, 06:04 PM
Oct 2023

His daughter now works in my office. Small world!

Lovie777

(15,442 posts)
2. The situation called for action....................
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 06:30 AM
Oct 2023

the farthest thing from his mind was not left nor right but only one Israel. Yes indeed he is a hero, and apparently age ain't nothing but a number.

Israeli

(4,319 posts)
10. He is Meretz
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 08:31 AM
Oct 2023

or he was .

My party since its conception .

He is one of the leaders of our protest movement .

see : https://www.timesofisrael.com/former-mk-calls-on-anti-government-protesters-to-use-nonviolent-illegal-acts/

Golan, who is also a retired major general in the IDF, served as a lawmaker with Meretz from 2019 until last year, when the left-wing party failed to cross the electoral threshold. Over the past six months he has become a prominent voice in the ongoing protests against the government’s judicial overhaul plans.






getagrip_already

(17,611 posts)
11. Begs the question...
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 09:00 AM
Oct 2023

Where were the defense forces?

Where were the police?

Where were the reservists?

Who was leading? Who was coordinating? Who was on the ground?

Martin68

(24,805 posts)
13. An excellent example of the fact that you can understand both sides, but must defend your own
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 04:00 PM
Oct 2023

family when attacked. I have friends in the war zone. I have no doubt that they first made sure their children were safe in their basement bomb shelter, and then they put on their gear, picked up rifles, and prepared to defend their home. They are liberals, and hate Netanyahu, but their first duty is to their family (since they've already done their military service and are too old to be called up from the reserves).

carpetbagger

(4,953 posts)
14. Weren't they going to indict him for civil disobedience earlier this year?
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 05:12 PM
Oct 2023

Crazy times, all of it, not just this month.

Hekate

(95,573 posts)
16. I think I'm going to cry, Cha.There's a crapload of horrible posts today, & this OP pierced my heart
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 06:31 PM
Oct 2023


moonshinegnomie

(2,928 posts)
19. ive know a couple of retired israeli officers
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 07:12 PM
Oct 2023

i used to work with them

complete jackasses but some of the toughest people ive ever met. You really dont want to piss them off. and they are pissed to high heaven right now.

senseandsensibility

(20,467 posts)
21. It would be great if more people knew about him
Mon Oct 9, 2023, 07:27 PM
Oct 2023

CNN should interview him or do a story about him.

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