The call was backed by several other politicians, including Zehava Galon, leader of the Left-wing Meretz party but criticised by centrists and Right-wingers. Among them was Yair Lapid, leader of the pro-secular Yesh Atid party, who suggested it would be opening a backdoor to a "right-of-return" for Palestinian refugees – a major sticking point in stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.