Prime Minister Yair Lapid is expected to address the nation in a televised speech at 8:45 p.m.
The primetime address, timed for the end of the Sabbath, will be the first public speech by Lapid since he became prime minister at the stroke of midnight between Thursday and Friday, taking office as the 14th premier in Israel’s history.
Lapid’s term leading the country could be a fairly short one, as he takes over a caretaker government ahead of national elections on November 1.
On his first day in office Friday, Lapid met with Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet security agency, at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
Shortly afterward, the new prime minister held a meeting to discuss “the captives and MIAs” — a reference to the two Israeli men and the remains of two IDF soldiers being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
He is expected to hold additional meetings on the security situation in the coming days, as well as on the rising number of coronavirus cases.
Lapid will also move into a Jerusalem apartment near the official Prime Minister’s Residence.
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From the Liveblog of
Saturday, July 2, 2022
