Deputy Finance Minister, Yair Golan (Meretz), strongly called out Otzma Yehudit chairman, MK Itamar Ben-Gvir on Thursday.
"I think that Itamar Ben-Gvir should have gone to jail a long time ago," Golan claimed in an interview with Radio 103FM. "The man has eight convictions, including the support of a terror organization. If we were to judge him like we judge Palestinians he would have already been in jail for a long time. He was classified twice by the inspector general of the police as an individual who endangers public peace. The man wants blood, blood, and more blood. The blood that will be let is the blood of mine and your children, those who want revenge have to understand that what we'll get is a mob that does whatever it wants."
"I think that he's really dangerous for Israel's security and it's important that the voters understand that," Golan added.
The deputy minister discussed Wednesday's attack on soldiers by a handful of Jews in Samaria and claimed: "I'm aware of these confrontations with settlers, it's very unfortunate. We can't ignore the political connection nowadays. It's a look into the future. What you are seeing now is the result of the growing self-confidence and the feeling that we 'rule the land' and that the settlers can do whatever they want. As the political arena becomes more relaxed we'll see more of such incidents."
"We have to wake up and realize that we need to form a political coalition that opposes these actions and that, in the end, leads to the separation from the Palestinians, minimizing the friction. I tell my friends in my camp, [Prime Minister] Yair Lapid, [Defense Minister] Benny Gantz (National Unity), there's no choice, we need a coalition with the Arab parties, with everyone. If we don't form such a coalition it's simple math: We will have a Netanyahu government, with a coalition of extreme right-wing Kahanists and haredim."
When asked about his party chairperson Zehava Galon's statement that IDF soldiers need to be reined in, Golan answered: "I don't intend to interpret her words, I will state my opinions. I am comfortable with her statements and my statement is simple: We need to leave the Palestinians. This is something that all Israelis must accept because if we don't leave them a reality of growing violence will be formed, and this reality will destroy our home."