Lapid reiterates Blue and White won’t sit with Netanyahu in gov’t, even before hearing

Blue and White No. 2 Yair Lapid echoes Benny Gantz’s statement calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign and vowing not to join his government after the April elections.

“This is a sad day for the State of Israel,” Lapid says in a statement. “From the bottom of my heart, I hope he’s cleared of all charges.

And yet, Netanyahu cannot continue to serve as prime minister. He knows that better than anyone. The Prime Minister is a symbol and we must not allow that symbol to be tarnished.”

No citizen of Israel would want their children being taught by someone who has been indicted, or being treated by a doctor who has been indicted, or serving under a commander who has been indicted,” he adds. “If Netanyahu loves the State of Israel as he always says he does, then he needs to do what’s best for the country: He needs to resign, immediately. He can pass the baton to someone else in the Likud; there are plenty of good people there.

“It goes without saying that we will not sit in any government in which the prime minister has been indicted for such serious crimes. That’s true now, even before the hearing. If Netanyahu is cleared of the charges, and again I hope for him and his family that he is, he can always come back.”