Israeli Politician Retracts Support for Palestinian State After Old Interview Surfaces

Yoseph Haddad, the second-highest-ranking candidate on the Amkha Yisrael party list, has disavowed his past support for a Palestinian state, a stance he held five years ago. The resurfaced remarks, from an interview with Al-Arabiya, showed Haddad, an Arab Israeli activist for public diplomacy, calling a two-state solution "inevitable" and suggesting that better integration of Arab Israelis into decision-making could foster peace. These views contrast sharply with the right-wing platform of his party, led by Brigadier General (res.) Ofer Winter, which explicitly rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. Haddad, who joined the party in August and aims to become Minister of Public Diplomacy, stated that the May 2021 riots during Operation Guardian of the Walls changed his perspective. Witnessing Palestinians and Arab Israelis uniting to attack mixed cities, he explained, convinced him that a Palestinian state was not a viable solution and that peace with Palestinians was unattainable. He vowed that if appointed minister, he would actively work to dismantle the idea of a Palestinian state.

Ofer Winter defended Haddad, calling him "my brother" and "Israel's most fervent defender of public diplomacy." Winter dismissed calls to remove Haddad, stating that people are allowed to change their minds, especially after October 7th. He reiterated his party's opposition to a Palestinian state and their refusal to allow aid trucks into Gaza, while also advocating for the "voluntary migration" of Gazans. The controversy has become a political tool, with Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party criticizing Winter's party for perceived contradictions, including supporting conscription while aligning with a government that allegedly favors draft dodgers and opposing a state inquiry commission into the October 7th events.