A newly released recording has exposed remarks by Yair Golan indicating that he would be willing to sit with chareidi parties in a future coalition if it meant removing Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and his right-wing allies from power.

The recording, aired Tuesday evening by Channel 14 News, appears to reveal a significant gap between the public rhetoric of opposition parties regarding cooperation with chareidi factions and the political calculations taking place behind closed doors.

Several opposition parties have repeatedly declared that they oppose including chareidi parties in any future coalition and have aggressively promoted the idea of a “coalition of those who serve” in the military. Among the parties most identified with sharp anti-chareidi rhetoric has been Golan’s Democrats party, where several candidates have openly taken hardline positions against the chareidi community.

But according to the recording, Golan privately acknowledged a willingness to work with chareidi parties if doing so would help bring down the current right-wing government.

During a closed-door discussion with party activists, Golan was asked directly whether he ruled out sitting with the chareidim. He responded: “I’m not ruling out the chareidim, absolutely not. I can tell you that if right now the possibility of forming a government depended on a chareidi party joining — I would vote in favor. On condition that Likud, Smotrich and Ben Gvir are not there.”

The recording also captured Golan criticizing fellow opposition politicians over the way they have handled the public debate surrounding the military draft law and enlistment of chareidim.

According to Golan, many of the proposals and demands currently being promoted are unrealistic and driven more by political slogans than practical policy.

“We need to work mainly smartly and with indirect pressure, not direct pressure,” Golan told activists.

“I want to tell you here, every draft law they are talking about is infected with populism. All those opposing what the government is doing — rightly so — but what they are proposing… thousands of chareidim are not suddenly going to enlist tomorrow morning. It’s a process,” he concluded.

The Democrats party declined to comment following publication of the recording.

{Matzav.com}