The Democrats party's director-general, Omer Lubaton Granot, took a swipe at President Isaac Herzog on social media while party representatives were meeting with him at the President's Residence as part of consultations on forming the next government.
Omer responded to Herzog's comments during the meeting, in which the president questioned what political parties would campaign on once Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves politics and advocated for the formation of a broad unity government.
"Tell me you voted Likud without telling me you voted Likud," Omer tweeted.
The post prompted a sharp response from Eyal Shviki, director-general of the President's Residence, who confronted the party's representatives during the meeting.
"I understand that while we are sitting here, your party's director-general posted that the president voted Likud. So let me clarify that the president's role is to look after all the people of Israel. Yesterday, he was accused of supporting the Arabs; today, people say he voted Likud," Shviki said. "His role is to work for all citizens, ask difficult questions and advance the formation of a good, stable government. You said nothing is personal, but Netanyahu's name has been mentioned here about 150 times."
During the consultations, the Democrats' representatives recommended that Yashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot be tasked with forming the next government. MK Gilad Kariv explained the recommendation by arguing that Netanyahu's continued leadership was incompatible with national reconciliation.
"There is a contradiction between Netanyahu's continued rule and the ideas of healing and repair, and therefore we seek to fulfill the voters' wishes and bring about the formation of a government led by Eisenkot," Kariv told Herzog.
"Must it be for or against Netanyahu, or perhaps has the time come for us to achieve something broad, centrist and shared?" Herzog asked.
"Netanyahu was given several precious opportunities to bring about national unity, and everyone knows how that ended. We must bring the Netanyahu era to an end. This is not a personal matter, but one of policy," Kariv answered.
"How do you intend to form a minority government? Under the government of change, even planting trees in the Negev was impossible," Herzog asked. "I keep asking myself what will happen when Netanyahu retires. What will the parties campaign on? Is everything about being for or against Netanyahu?"