MK Yair Lapid (L) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R)
MK Yair Lapid (L) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R)Chaim Goldberg/Flash90

Opposition chairman MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) on Wednesday morning expressed opposition to the formation of a broad unity government, claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "does not want" it.

In an interview with 103FM Radio, Lapid said, "People don't understand what's happening. There is no such offer. Netanyahu does not want it. I offered a unity government on October 7, at 4:30p.m., in a conversation with Netanyahu, and afterwards at a press conference."

"The government with [National Security Minister Itamar] Ben Gvir and [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich was not forced on Netanyahu - this is the government that he wants, these are the partners that he wants."

Lapid continued, "Since then, I have said 30 times that I will provide him with a safety network for a hostage deal, not for anything else, because I do not trust him and I think he is a terrible prime minister."

Lapid alleged, "As a prime minister, he is the worst person we could possibly have during this period. It's just adding one disaster to another. He does not want [it]. It's time that the public understand: He wants to be with Ben Gvir and Smotrich, that's what interests him, because it's good for his legal issues."