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Israel should work with regional powers to secure Gaza’s future and establish an alternative to Hamas in the enclave, as well as forging an alliance against Iran, a key leader of the Israeli opposition has said.
Yair Golan, a former deputy chief of the Israeli military who now leads the Democrats party, also said he was determined to “save Israel from a messianic and extremist” government, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition teeters on the brink of collapse.
Mr Golan has emerged as one of the most dynamic leaders on the country's beleaguered political left, which for years has struggled to have its voice heard by voters in an increasingly religious and right-wing society.
In an address on Monday to foreign journalists in East Jerusalem, he emphasised his stance – shared by the majority of Israelis, according to the most recent polling – that the government should prioritise efforts to secure a ceasefire deal and the release of hostages in Gaza, over continuing the conflict.
“I believe we can reach hostage deal in matter of days … I believe that by ending the war and freeing the hostages we will be able to build an alternative to Hamas inside Gaza Strip,” he said.
“We should work with the region in order to build this alternative. With the moderate Sunni countries we should build an alternative in order to provide Gazans with an alternative to the extreme and violent regime of Hamas.”
Such efforts would also allow Israel to "forge a regional alliance against the Iranian threat”, he added.
Mr Golan has previously come under fire for his criticism of the war in Gaza. In May, he faced widespread condemnation for comments that appeared to criticise Israel for killing Gazan babies “as a hobby”.
“Israel is on the way to becoming a pariah state, like South Africa was, if we don’t return to acting like a sane country,” Mr Golan said on Kan radio. "A sane country does not fight against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby and does not set itself the aim of expelling populations."
He later said the remarks were aimed at Mr Netanyahu's government, rather than the military.
Mr Golan also criticised the idea of annexing the occupied West Bank, a priority for some members of Mr Netanyahu’s far-right coalition. He said the move would be a "disaster for Israel”, given that millions of Palestinians would suddenly be added to the country's population.
The Democrats party, which holds four of the 120 seats in Israel's parliament, also addressed the years-long saga over whether ultra-Orthodox Israelis should serve in the military like all other young Jewish citizens.
The issue is coming to a head, with potentially terminal results for Mr Netanyahu's government. Ultra-Orthodox parties have threatened to withdraw from the coalition over the lack of progress in passing a law that would enshrine the community’s exemption from military service.
"The vast majority [of Israelis] want a new draft law that encompasses all young citizens of Israel," Mr Golan said.
