Kahlon Not Ruling Out Giving Up Land for Peace

Former Likud minister says he would not rule out giving up territory for peace “if that is the situation”.

Elad Benari, Canada,

Kahlon talking to young Israelis at a pub in Tel Aviv
Kahlon talking to young Israelis at a pub in Tel Aviv
Amir Levy/Flash 90


Kahlon, who is mostly known for his social platform, met youth activists in Tel Aviv and said he would not hesitate to concede land “if that is the situation”.


In another gathering in which he took part later on Friday, Kahlon did not rule out being part of a Likud-led government after the election, though he said he was not interested in a specific ministerial post.

"If you ask me which minister I do not want to be, then the answer is the minister of defense. People need to understand what they are doing and my strength is social, economic, and housing issues,” he said.

On Wednesday, Kahlon outlined some of his unnamed party's platform, saying it would be focused on economic development and fixing the cost of living crisis.

Channel 2 poll released Tuesday suggested that Kahlon’s new party would win 10 seats in the 20th Knesset, if the elections were held today. A Channel 10 poll found that together, Kahlon, Lapid and Liberman’s parties would win 33 seats if elections were held today, compared to a combined 39 seats for the Likud and Jewish Home.

Kahlon has yet to put together a list of candidates with whom to run, but his party has already fueled much speculation, with names such as former MK Carmel Shama-Hacohen, former Mossad chief Meir Dagan and Economics Professor Manuel Trajtenberg being thrown out as possible candidates to run with Kahlon.

Kahlon’s election headquarters dismissed all the speculations on Thursday evening, telling Army Radio, “A list has not yet been formulated and any names are merely an assumption.”
