Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has openly called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation, citing what he perceives as the government’s inadequate handling of the conflict with Hamas. Lapid expressed his belief that Netanyahu should step down during the ongoing hostilities and mentioned ongoing discussions with leaders of the Likud party about the possibility of forming a government under another Likud candidate. According to Lapid, there are individuals within the Likud who recognize the country’s deteriorating situation and are open to an alternative leadership.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has openly called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation, criticizing the government’s handling of the war against Hamas. Lapid asserted that Netanyahu should step down during the ongoing conflict and mentioned ongoing discussions with leaders of the Likud party about the possibility of forming a government under another Likud candidate. He emphasized the need for change, stating that the current government is not functioning, and expressed readiness to create a “national reconstruction government” led by Likud, with the inclusion of ultra-Orthodox parties, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu, and Benny Gantz’s National Unity. However, he stressed that Netanyahu cannot lead such a government. Opposition Leader Yair
Lapid did not join the war cabinet established six days after Hamas’s October 7 onslaught alongside Gantz, claiming it would not be able to function. He had preconditioned his joining the government on the ousting of far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich, who leads Religious Zionism, and Itamar Ben Gvir, the leader of Otzma Yehudit.