Channel 13 News political correspondent Moriah Asraf strongly criticized Democrats party chairman Yair Golan over his threats to cut government funding for the Bnei David pre-military academy in Eli.
Speaking on her program with Eyal Berkovitch, Asraf argued that Golan's focus on the academy is deeply troubling and is also harming the political camp he seeks to lead.
"The fact that the chairman of a political party in Israel carries around a note with statements and quotations made by senior figures at the Eli academy a decade ago-statements that have since been clarified-is, in itself, very disturbing to me," Asraf said. "It's as if Israel has run out of problems and all that's left is to target an institution whose entire purpose is contributing to the State of Israel."
According to Asraf, Golan's remarks are not only offensive but are also politically damaging to the anti-government camp. She argued that many right-wing and centrist voters want to replace the current government, but comments by Golan and members of the Democrats party are driving them away from supporting that political bloc.
Asraf said those voters "are not willing to tolerate anti-democratic and contemptuous statements directed at the segment of Israeli society that serves the country the most." She cited figures showing that 90% of graduates of the Eli institutions serve in combat units, while 40% go on to serve as military officers.
She added that 34 graduates of the academy's institutions have been killed since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war.
"If Yair Golan wants to go after them, if this is his campaign, if these are the people whose budgets he wants to cut, then good luck to him and to his entire political camp," she said.
Asraf also claimed that senior figures within the anti-government camp privately disagree with Golan's comments.
"It's not just me who is disgusted by these remarks," she said. "Very senior figures in the anti-government camp are disgusted by them as well, and they know above all that this will hurt them politically."