Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid on Monday, in an interview with i24NEWS, rejected the idea of Israel going to elections at this time, while calling for the formation of a new government without Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Lapid’s Yesh Atid party has soared in recent polls as the public’s dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic situation has been growing as indicated by surveys.
The Yesh Atid leader, however, dismissed the notion of a general election, saying he prefers forming a new government within the current parliament constellation.
“The one thing that needs to be done is that Mr. Netanyahu needs to resign due to his complete failure in taking care of the coronavirus crisis both in health issues and economic issues,” Lapid stated.
“We can form a government within 48 hours with Likud, with Blue and White, with Yisrael Beytenu, with Yamina and ourselves, which will be a smaller, more effective, more efficient government,” he claimed.
The opposition leader said his insistence not to collaborate with Netanyahu is not “because of his political ideas or views, I mean, Likud is not that far from us ideologically. It’s because he has three indictments and I think it’s wrong for the country to have a prime minister with three indictments.”
Lapid also discussed Israel’s relationship with the United States and criticized Netanyahu for allegedly “putting a dent” to Israel’s bipartisan stance in its relations with the United States.
“Joe Biden is a great friend of Israel,” said Lapid of the Democratic presidential nominee. He stressed his initial concern over the “more radical progressive voices” within the Democratic party but was “reassured” when reading the Democratic platform concerning the Jewish state.
“I don’t agree with everything, but if anything, it’s the triumph of the moderates in the democratic party,” he said, adding that “we’re going to have a friendly administration whoever wins the next election.”