Meretz’s deputy minister and former MK Yair Golan refuses to use the word “occupation” to describe Israel’s military control over the Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Golan made this remark in an interview with Channel 12 news, which noted that the term “occupation” appears numerous times in the party’s platform in last elections.

Meretz deputy minister and former lawmaker Yair Golan (left) with the chair of Meretz and Minister of Health Nitzan Horowitz (Photo: Meretz party)

“This word has a connotation of a callous act, as if we took a piece of land that we have nothing to do with. Ultimately our roots are in the territory of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem,” Golan said, using the settlers’ names for the occupied West Bank. “I dream of the Land of the Bible,” he added. “I tell my friends from the [political] right, my connection to every clump of the Land of Israel is no less than yours.”

Retired Major General Golan, a former deputy chief of staff in the Israeli military, is currently serving as deputy economic minister, under Orna Barbivay (Yesh Atid) who is also a retired Major General, and who has said it would be a “terrible decree” to evacuate settlers from the occupied territories.