From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Ben Gvir: Inclusion of Yair Lapid in a unity government would be a ‘reward’ for Sinwar
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir slams Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, arguing that his inclusion in a unity government would be “a reward for [Hamas leader] Yahya Sinwar,” and would amount to “raising the white flag” in the war against Hamas.
“Lapid is hindering the fighters from winning, he wants to drag the country and Prime Minister Netanyahu into complete surrender in the war,” the far-right politician declares in response to a statement by the centrist former prime minister critical of the composition of Netanyahu’s government.
“I see that a lot of people talked to me about a unity government precisely when I wasn’t in the room,” Lapid had stated. “These are the facts: I offered Netanyahu a national unity government as early as October 7. He didn’t want it. Since then I have repeatedly offered him a safety net to make a hostage deal. He expressed no interest.”
“Someday the citizens of Israel will have to recognize that Ben Gvir and Smotrich were not forced upon him. This is the government he wants, these are the partners he wants,” Lapid added.
The Times of Israel Community.