Top Democratic Candidates Support West Bank Settlement Evacuations and Peace Agreements
A Channel 7 investigation reveals that most of the top ten candidates chosen in the Democratic primaries openly support evacuating settlements in the West Bank and advancing peace agreements aligned with the Oslo Accords. The findings, published on Tuesday after the primaries, indicate a concerning outlook for the next Israeli government regarding settlement policy.
Democratic Party leader Yair Golan recently called for the immediate evacuation of illegal outposts in Judea and Samaria and the initiation of a political process. In a speech this week, he emphasized ensuring free media and opposing propaganda channels. On a podcast, Golan outlined three immediate steps: halting annexation moves, combating both Palestinian and Jewish terrorism, and evacuating all outposts.
Naama Lazimi, the party's top Knesset candidate, advocated at a recent conference for evacuating West Bank settlements in exchange for a political agreement. Gilad Kariv, second on the list, announced plans to establish a "headquarters to fight settlement expansion" and previously called for outpost evacuations. Fourth-ranked Efrat Rayten opposes the settlement enterprise and supports removing illegal outposts to preserve prospects for a two-state solution.
Other candidates include Yaya Pink (fifth), who recently posted an evacuation order at a new West Bank settlement; Gabi Leski (sixth), who has represented terrorists in court and warned annexation would worsen Palestinian conditions and end Israel's democracy; and Omri Ronen, who supports a two-state solution to maintain Israel's democratic character. Michal Rozin (eighth), a peace forum member who met with Mahmoud Abbas, insists on commitments not to establish new outposts. Moshe Redman, a protest leader, accused Smotrich of dangerous annexation plans and backed a two-state solution. The tenth candidate is Somia Bashir, an Arab Muslim.
This lineup signals a strong Democratic inclination toward reversing settlement expansion and pursuing diplomatic resolutions in the West Bank, contrasting with current right-wing policies.
