"Netanyahu is a leftist?": The frontal confrontation with Guy Meroz on The Patriots

A storm in the "Patriots" studio: Yinon Magal and Guy Meroz clashed last night over the question of who is truly considered "left" in Israel. The argument ignited when Meroz claimed that defining Gadi Eizenkot as a leftist is a "joke," while Magal insisted that his support for a Palestinian state and his opposition to the judicial reform place him deep on the left side of the political map.

The climax arrived when Meroz threw at Magal: "Netanyahu also supported a Palestinian state!" in an attempt to challenge the panel's criteria. Magal was quick to push back the claim and explained that Netanyahu only "made adjustments" in policy, while for the clear right, the declared positions of the senior members of the "National Unity" party are sufficient grounds to define them as leftists for all intents and purposes.

The discussion escalated when the issue of partnership with Ra'am was raised. Yotam Zimri wondered cynically if Saglovich would support IDF conscription as part of Abbas's coalition, and Magal concluded the debate with a stinging description of the vision for conscription in the sector: "It will be a conscription of Arabs, managed by Arabs, and for the benefit of Arabs only — everything will remain within the sector."