Hostage activist Zangauker: Golan promised me a reserved spot on Democrats slate, then broke pledge

Einav Zangauker, mother of former Hamas hostage Matan Zangauker and a top activist for the captives and outspoken critic of the government’s handling of the crisis, accuses The Democrats party chief Yair Golan of long promising her a reserved spot on the left-wing party’s slate, causing her not to run in the primaries, only to recently renege on the pledge.

Days after Hebrew media reported that Golan won’t secure a spot for Zangauker, she reveals in a lengthy social media post that in February, Golan initiated a meeting with her in which he promised to place her immediately after the sitting MKs on the list of candidates, and she accepted the offer.

“From that moment, I was asked to keep this a secret, and Golan’s people made sure to keep in touch, and throughout this period the pledge was reaffirmed several times with Golan himself,” Zangauker writes. “Each time, it was stressed to me a word is a word, that our arrangement is valid, and that after the primaries, it will be announced that I am placed in a high spot.”

“I was asked by them, as part of the arrangement, to lower my media profile until the announcement,” she adds. “Of course, I upheld my commitment and kept our arrangement secret, lowered my profile and didn’t consider other options, such as participating in the primaries. I upheld my side of the arrangement.”

“Unfortunately, and as published, Golan decided otherwise,” she says diplomatically. “That is the entire story. This event is over and is already in the past.”

She says that while she won’t be in the next Knesset, she will continue her public work to “fix all that is broken here,” and urges the public to “ensure that the failed government doesn’t succeed in its plot to make us forget the [October 7, 2023] massacre, the abandonment and the complete failure it has achieved on all fronts.”

Golan reacts with a tweet that doesn’t deny and doesn’t directly comment on the accusation that he made such a promise.

He says Zangauker is “dear to me,” adding: “I know my decision disappointed you, and I am deeply sorry for that. It was my decision, and I bear full responsibility for it and the pain it caused you.”

He says he decided not to use his right to reserve a candidate of his choosing, “out of respect for the decision of the 113,000 members of The Democrats and out of trust in the excellent list they chose,” ignoring Zangauker’s assertion that it had been his promise that caused her not to run in the primaries in the first place.

Golan claims he has offered her, and is still offering, a “significant role” in the party’s election campaign and also after the election.