Yair Golan Criticizes Israeli Government Inaction as Hamas Strengthens Daily

Yair Golan, chairman of the Democratic Party, sharply criticized the Israeli government during a meeting at the Nova complex on Wednesday. He expressed disbelief that the government has survived for a month after the horrific events of October 7, calling it a government that has exhausted its tenure and caused significant damage. Golan argued that if the government had learned from the October 7 attacks, it would not have perpetuated Hamas's rule in Gaza.

Golan highlighted the heavy toll Israel has paid in the Gaza conflict and condemned the current political paralysis, stating that Israel is taking no initiative to build a political alternative to Hamas. He warned that this stagnation risks ceding influence over Gaza to the Americans. Golan blamed the government for an unprecedented disaster, citing corruption and power struggles among different factions, which he said have allowed Hamas to grow stronger every day.

Separately, the Democratic Party concluded its primary elections with a notably high turnout of 86 percent, as over 97,000 members voted online. More than 112,000 eligible voters were invited to select the party list from 51 candidates. The top positions on the list include Naama Lazimi in second place, Gilad Kariv third, Efrat Rayten fourth, and Yair (Yaya) Pink fifth. Gabi Leski, representing Meretz, secured the sixth spot, followed by Omri Ronen and Michal Rozin, also from Meretz, in seventh and eighth places respectively.