Itzik Boncel Vows Not to Vote for Likud if Eli Goldschmidt Is Reserved a Knesset Spot

Itzik Boncel, father of the late Captain Amit Boncel who fell in combat in the Gaza Strip, strongly opposed rumors that former Labor MK Eli Goldschmidt might be reserved a place on the Likud party list for the upcoming Knesset elections. Boncel declared that if such a move occurs, he will break with tradition and not vote for Likud for the first time in his life.

Boncel criticized Goldschmidt's political past, highlighting his central role in the Oslo Accords era alongside leaders like Rabin and Peres, which Boncel described as Israel's most strategic and bloody disaster. He acknowledged Goldschmidt's current expressions of remorse but stated that personal repentance does not grant political legitimacy or erase the consequences of past actions, including terror attacks and ongoing violence.

He warned that accepting Goldschmidt would set a dangerous precedent, questioning whether other figures associated with the Oslo process, such as Ratzi Levi, would also be welcomed if they expressed regret. Boncel urged Likud leadership to reject these rumors and maintain the party's core values, emphasizing his personal limit as a loyal voter and his refusal to cross this "red line."