A Twitter battle erupted on Sunday between Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) and Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid, following the latter's presentation of his political plan during a speech at Bar-Ilan University.
Lapid called for a regional solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, making mention of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which stipulates Israel's relations with the entire Arab world are to be normalized in exchange for a full withdrawal from Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
"My father did not come here from the ghetto to live in a binational state," Lapid asserted. "He came here to live in the land of the Jews. If we do not separate from the Palestinians, Israel's Jewishness is in danger."
After his speech, Erdan took to Twitter, blasting the MK: "Just to clarify - when Lapid talked about separation, he meant withdrawal and evacuation [from Judea and Samaria]. He just forgot to clarify whether the withdrawal (separation) would be unilateral."
As to the Arab Peace Initiative, to which Lapid expressed support in principle, Erdan wrote that "it should be noted this [plan] also includes the right of return [for Palestinians]. Not sure if this a good start to the 'regional conference' Lapid hung all his hopes on."
Lapid quickly responded by slamming Erdan as the Prime Minister's lackey. "Gilad, I understand Netanyahu pressed and sent you to respond, but I suggest you try nevertheless to figure out what I really proposed because otherwise Israel's Jewishness is in danger."
When Erdan continued to bait Lapid, accusing him of sounding even more left-wing than Labor leader Yitzhak Herzog, Lapid ordered Erdan to tell Netanyahu "the used-up trick didn't work this time."