From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 15, 2024
Lapid: Netanyahu government ‘an existential threat to Israel’
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"
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government “have become an existential threat to Israel,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declares, accusing them of destroying Israeli deterrence.
Addressing the press ahead of his Yesh Atid party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset — held this week despite the legislative recess — Lapid states that both Israel’s friends and enemies “smell weakness” from the current government.
“I was in Washington last week, in meetings with the entire administration. They are shocked by this government: by the lack of responsibility, by the lack of professionalism, by the mismanagement,” he says.
Lapid alleges that while the United States has lived up to its commitment to Israel’s security, Netanyahu has not.
“All that is left of Mr. Security” are “ruins from Be’eri to Kiryat Shmona, violence by Jewish terrorists who have become out of control, and a complete loss of Israeli deterrence,” he adds.
