Yoav Kish, the Likud party’s Dan Region representative for the 20th Knesset, may have just hurt Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s chances of keeping right-wing votes away from Jewish Home. 

Kish, who placed 19th on the Likud list, said he would support the division of Jerusalem in the interest of a peace deal and two-state solution. 

At an educational and political conference held by the Israeli Scouts Movement, Kish was asked what he thinks Israel should do with the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem, in the event of a political settlement with the Palestinian Authority. 

“There is no doubt that my initial and basic concept is the Jewish aspiration for the State of Israel and the Palestinian aspiration – I do not want them to vote for me,” Kish said, essentially advocating for Jerusalem’s division in place of subsuming Jerusalem’s Arab population into becoming citizens of Israel. 

“Many think like this,” Kish continued. “I think the Likud is going to this place, keeping in thinking with the moderate and sane right who want a Jewish and democratic state here.”

Kish’s statements at the event were recorded and subsequently released Sunday morning by Army Radio. 

Netanyahu’s election headquarters said in response: “A united Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel. This has been the position of Netanyahu and Likud for many years and it will not change.”