From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Lapid: Netanyahu claims elections would paralyze Israel but it’s already paralyzed
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"
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid slams Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for claiming that elections would paralyze the country, declaring that the country is already paralyzed because of his leadership.
Lapid’s comments come after Netanyahu declared that a general election would paralyze the country — “in the midst of the war, the moment before victory” — for up to eight months.
“Mr. Netanyahu, elections will not paralyze the country — it is paralyzed now,” Lapid says in a statement. “The war with Hamas is paralyzed, the hostage deal is paralyzed, the north is paralyzed and especially the government under your leadership is paralyzed and has failed.”
“The only thing that will please Sinwar and Deif is if your disastrous government of paralysis continues in office. For the fighters, for the hostages, for the conscription law, for saving the economy: we must have elections now,” he declares.
Speaking to reporters, Netanyahu contended that elections “would paralyze negotiations for freeing our hostages and would bring an end to the war before the goals are completely achieved.”
“And the first who would welcome this is Hamas, and that says everything,” he said.
