The Democrats party has lost ground following remarks by its leader, Yair Golan, about the war in Gaza, dropping four seats to 12 in total, according to a Maariv poll published on Friday.
The Maariv poll, conducted by Lazar Research on May 21–22, surveyed 509 respondents representing a cross-section of Israeli adults.
Golan, during an interview on Monday with KAN Reshet Bet’s This Morning program, said, “A sane country does not kill babies for a hobby.”
Most of those seats lost by the Democrats would shift to Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party, which gained three seats to 15, and Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, which rose by one seat to 19.
If new elections were held today, Likud would receive 23 seats, Yisrael Beiteinu 19, National Unity 16, and Yesh Atid 15.
The Democrats would hold 12 seats, while Otzma Yehudit and Shas would each secure nine seats. United Torah Judaism would have seven seats, Hadash–Ta’al six, and Ra’am four. Both Balad and Religious Zionism would fail to pass the electoral threshold.
In a scenario where former prime minister Naftali Bennett leads a new party, that faction would be the largest with 28 seats. Likud would fall to 20 seats, Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu would each have 11, while Shas and National Unity would hold nine seats apiece.
Otzma Yehudit would secure eight seats, the Democrats and United Torah Judaism would each receive seven, Hadash–Ta’al six, and Ra’am four. Balad and Religious Zionism would remain below the threshold. The margin of error for the poll is 4.4%.
Criticism about killing children aimed at government, not IDF, says Golan
Golan clarified in a press conference on Tuesday that his comment that “a sane country does not kill children as a hobby” was geared towards the government and not IDF soldiers.
Golan ignored calls from both the coalition and opposition to apologize for his statement, and harshly criticized the government.
"This morning, I stated that we are a sane country that does not kill children. When ministers in this government celebrate the death and starvation of children, it must be said. My remarks were directed solely at the most failed government in Israel’s history—not at the IDF. Our mission is to ensure that Israel remains a sane country that does not kill children, neither as a hobby nor as policy,” Golan said.
Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.
