Democrats Clash Over Using 'West Bank' or 'Judea and Samaria' Terms

A heated debate erupted within the Israeli Democratic Party during a closed internal meeting over the terminology used to describe the West Bank region. Former Knesset member Gabi Leski demanded that party chairman Yair Golan stop using the term "Judea and Samaria" and instead refer to the area as the "West Bank." Golan refused, asserting that the term "Judea and Samaria" is not exclusively right-wing. The dispute followed Golan's statement after a deadly attack near the Gilad Farm last weekend, where he condemned the terror act and called for a firm military response alongside a strategic political plan to weaken terror infrastructure and ensure long-term security.

The party leadership instructed candidates not to independently publish personal views on sensitive issues on social media and to resolve disagreements internally through the campaign headquarters. Arab sector representatives on the list expressed dissatisfaction with Golan's initial response, feeling that labeling the incident as a "terror attack" rather than a "clash between settlers and Palestinians" alienated Arab voters by aligning with right-wing positions. Meanwhile, candidate Moshe Radman criticized the media coverage and settlement construction, urging a full investigation before drawing conclusions.

The Democratic Party declined to comment on the internal discussions. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions within the party regarding terminology and political positioning on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially in the wake of recent violence in the West Bank.