Israeli political commentator Amit Segal addressed on Monday evening the decision by Democrats party leader Yair Golan not to use reserved slots on the party's Knesset list, and what that means for Einav Zangauker, who had been considering running in the upcoming elections.
Zangauker is the mother of Matan Zangauker, who remains held hostage in Gaza. While Segal criticized Zangauker's public style, he also argued that Golan erred if he had promised her a guaranteed spot on the list in advance. Segal suggested that public figures transitioning into political life don't automatically succeed there, drawing parallels to military officers and athletes who have entered politics. He said the same test applies to hostage family members.
"The burden of proof is on Zangauker," Segal stated. Acknowledging her advocacy work for her son Matan and the other hostages, he added: "If my child were kidnapped, I would presumably do 120 percent as well." However, he contended that her approach constituted a "vulgar style that has no appropriate place when it comes to a politician."
Segal went on to explain that in his view, a reserved slot on a party list should fill an existing gap within the party, bringing in a constituency or perspective not currently represented. According to Segal, Zangauker doesn't provide the Democrats with that kind of added value. "When you create a reserved slot, you want to correct some deficiency of yours," he explained.
In his assessment, the Democrats already have plenty of candidates who hold positions associated with the left-wing camp and employ a combative style. Alongside his criticism of Zangauker, Segal also directed a claim at Golan: "Yair Golan knew all of this from the beginning, so why did he promise her?" He characterized the handling as a "political mistake," adding that from the outset, Golan should have encouraged her to compete in primaries rather than creating an expectation of a reserved slot. Segal concluded by saying that Golan acted correctly in deciding not to use reserved slots, since the move could have sparked unrest within the party and pushed other candidates to lower positions on the list.
