FIRST ON FOX: Two years have passed since the horrific events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 men, women, and children, and the abduction of 251 others into the Gaza Strip. Despite this, a hostage deal remains elusive, and the Israeli Prime Minister’s government faces potential collapse.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has secured an unexpected ally in former Prime Minister and opposition leader Yair Lapid. Lapid extended a “security net” to the conservative leader this week, aiming to stabilize the government amidst ongoing efforts to secure a deal.
“Nothing is more important than making this deal, bringing our hostages back home,” Lapid stated in an interview with Digital.
Lapid’s political support is crucial because right-wing figures within Netanyahu’s coalition, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have consistently voiced criticism of Netanyahu’s agreement to President’s peace plan with Hamas and have frequently threatened to exit the coalition over the past year.
Netanyahu’s coalition lost its majority in the Israeli parliament in July after members relinquished their ministerial posts following the expiration of an exemption that granted religious students a pass for military conscription.
Consequently, Netanyahu’s coalition retained control of only 50 out of 120 seats in the Knesset.
Lapid explained, “He is now entirely reliant on the extreme alt-right elements within his government, who reject any deal [with Hamas].”
When questioned about the likelihood of special elections being triggered upon parliament’s return from its Autumn break on October 19, Lapid responded, “very likely.”
Lapid clarified that special elections are improbable before February or March 2026, citing a timeframe designed to accommodate campaigning in Israel. This would occur if the Knesset triggers an early election cycle by November, moving the elections up by merely seven months from their originally scheduled date in October 2026.
Lapid anticipates the Israeli public will prefer a more centrist government, integrating both right and left factions. Such a government would continue to prioritize Israeli security while also aiming to conclude the war in Gaza and undertake repairs in Jerusalem.
Lapid expressed, “If there’s one thing I regret, it’s that nobody in the government possesses the political courage to state… this is a just war, we are doing what is necessary to protect ourselves, but we are sorry for every child who loses their life.” He added, “Children should not die in grownups’ wars.”
He further added, “As Jews, as human beings, as people who believe in Judeo-Christian traditions and morality, it’s heartbreaking.”
According to Lapid, the current government’s failure not only resulted in ambiguity regarding Israel’s strategy against Hamas but also contributed to media bias and inaccurate reporting. This has severely impacted Israel’s international standing, even among “groups that traditionally supported Israel.”
The opposition leader recounted a meeting with Netanyahu on , where he observed the prime minister suddenly appearing “gray and tired and old.”
He recalled saying at that meeting, which later became a cliché, “Prime Minister, this is the worst day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
He continued, “What we need to do is form a unity government. You have to get rid of the extremists in your government, and we can create a unity government because we are facing an unparalleled challenge, unlike anything you or I have ever witnessed.”
Lapid stated that Netanyahu was “reluctant” to adopt this approach.
He added, “Until this day, I’m sorry about this. I thought it was the right thing to do, and I still think it was the right thing to do.”
Netanyahu has served 15 years as Israel’s prime minister, initially from March 2009 to June 2021, and then retaking the position in .
Lapid characterized Netanyahu’s extensive tenure as “admirable” and a testament to his “resilience.”
However, he added, “in other ways, I can see now, to say politely, the benefits of the two-term limits that you have in the United States.”
The opposition leader indicated his belief that Israelis are prepared for a “unity government” as an alternative to Netanyahu’s hard-right coalition. He also remarked that he expects the upcoming elections to be “interesting.”
Referring to the bloc he is forming, he stated, “It’s going to cross political lines, and it’s going to be based on hope. I know it sounds like big words, but I’m telling you, it is what we need right now.”
Lapid further added, “It’s been the hardest two years of everybody’s lifetime. And for the first time in a long, long time, the fragility of Israeli society was tangible to us. We need to rebuild.”
Netanyahu’s office had not responded to Digital’s inquiries by the time of this report’s publication.