In the video: opposition leader Yair Lapid in an interview for his weekend/Tsailum stills: Reuven Castro
Opposition leader Yair Lapid attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this evening (Wednesday), amid the confrontation with the Biden administration, and said: "I have fought with the Americans more in my life than Netanyahu, because Netanyahu was and remains a rabbit in closed rooms when it comes to a real confrontation. This is not a confrontation with the Americans, these Statements to the media and actions that are a little ridiculous in public, in order to make the base happy and show that you are still strong. These are things that are harmful."
In an interview with Laban Caspit and Aryeh Eldad on 103FM, Lapid also referred to the American opposition to Israel's ground maneuver in Rafah.
"I said more than once as prime minister, even as foreign minister, I told the Americans, 'We are an independent country and we will do what is best for us.' This text is said in a closed room," he said.
"That's why I would manage this crisis with them completely differently. If in the end we have to go to Rafah, we go to Rafah. I didn't call the Americans before I left for Operation Dawn, they saw it on TV in real time and that's how they found out about it, because Israel is an independent country. A way to manage conflicts. After all, what did Netanyahu want? He wanted us to open the discussion on this today, instead of opening the discussion on the conscription law. It didn't work out so well for him because we started the discussion on the conscription law, but these are some kind of transparent provocations that have no benefit. Ask yourself The next thing - are Ali Khamenei, Yahya Sinwar, Erdogan and Assad happy that there is such a conflict between Israel and the USA or are they sad?
The answer is that they are happy because they know it hurts Israel's strength."
"Netanyahu wanted us to open the discussion on this - instead of the conscription law."
torch/official website, no
Lapid referred to the Security Council's decision yesterday, which called for a ceasefire and the immediate release of all the abductees: "The government's behavior was so irresponsible, we had a card in our hands, we could have said 'yes we agree to the UN resolution and we will go to a ceasefire' and let Hamas say No, and let all the people you don't like say no.
Why does Netanyahu always volunteer to jump in to say no in order to hold another press conference, both unnecessary, also irresponsible, and damaging to Israel's security?"
"Why does he always jump to say 'no' just for another unnecessary press conference?".
Netanyahu/Roni Knafo
Lapid also discussed the crisis surrounding the conscription law: "The fact that it has become a disgusting political trade once again, after October 7, do you not understand where the people of Israel stand on this matter? The State of Israel should not pay a worn penny to an ultra-Orthodox youth who does not enlist. Period."
However, he emphasized: "I don't think they will enter Bnei Brak with tanks and I don't want to see deserter catchers running around the streets of Beit Shemesh."
Later, the head of the opposition called on the leaders of the state camp, ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, to resign from the government: "I guess you noticed that Israel is not really waging a war at the moment, so why do they stay in the war cabinet? And you noticed what is happening with the US and with the budget and with the abductees.
I have now listed a series of things where they have no effect, so I don't understand why they stay there.
I do understand why this is the straw that breaks the camel's back, because it is unforgivable on a value level.
It cannot be that two chiefs of staff will remain in the government. If the conscription law passes, let them respect themselves and live up to their own ultimatum and immediately leave the government."
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Yair Lapid
United States
Benjamin Netanyahu