It is time for extremism in Israel to "stop".
This is the appeal of the interim prime minister Yair Lapid in his first public speech since he took over from Naftali Bennett.
In the country - he added - "extremism does not come to politics from the streets but is the opposite. It flows like lava from politics to the streets".
"The political sphere - he added referring to the climate of recent years - has become increasingly extreme, violent and vicious, and is dragging Israeli society with it. We must stop this. This is our challenge".
Israel, he continued, "extends its hand to all the peoples of the Middle East, Palestinians included, and says: it is time for you to recognize that we will never leave here, let's learn to live together".
"We believe that as long as Israel's security needs are met, Israel - she added - will be a country that seeks peace".
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