The Democrats faction held a closed-door meeting this week to discuss party messaging and the need for discipline among its members as elections approach.
At the center of the debate was the party’s response to the terror attack at Havat Gilad last weekend.
According to a report by Ynet, Gaby Lasky, who placed sixth in the party primaries, called out party leader Yair Golan for using the term "Judea and Samaria," demanding he refer to the area as the "West Bank" instead. Golan reportedly pushed back, stating he "rejects the notion that 'Judea and Samaria' is inherently a right-wing term."
The report further noted that Arab community representatives on the slate, Soumeya Bashir and A'id Badir, criticized Golan’s initial reaction to the attack. They argued that his social media post framing the event as a terror attack rather than "friction between settlers and Palestinians" sparked backlash within the Arab sector and was viewed by some within the party as a right-wing narrative.
In his post following the attack, Golan wrote: "My heart goes out to the family of the victim killed in the horrific terror attack at Havat Gilad. I send my condolences to the family and wish a full recovery to the injured. Terrorism must be met with a heavy military hand, with determination and without compromise. However, to guarantee long-term security, a complementary strategic initiative is needed - one that dismantles terror infrastructure, weakens its handlers, and prevents its buildup. That is the responsibility of any leadership committed to Israel's security."
Channel 12 News reported that criticism was also leveled during the meeting against party candidate Moshe Radman over his reaction to the attack. According to the report, MK Naama Lazimi told him, "We'll drop to single digits if this continues," to which Golan added, "There was a mistake made on Friday, I admit."
Following the reports, Religious Zionist party chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich launched an attack on the opposing political camp.
"Tonight's leaks about what goes on inside The Democrats faction prove beyond a shadow of a doubt what we have been saying for a long time - Yair Golan is a radical leftist, and without this radical left, [Gadi] Eisenkot has no government," Smotrich stated. "Meanwhile, [Chili] Tropper and Eisenkot remain silent because they know that without Golan and Gaby Lasky, they have no coalition. Eisenkot will form a government that poses a danger to Israel."