Speaking from the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, Lapid said Israel seeks peace with the Palestinians but will take decisive action against anyone who “seeks our death,” particularly in thwarting Iran’s nuclear program. Lapid, who replaced Naftali Bennett on Friday to become Israel’s 14th prime minister after the Knesset was dissolved, is serving in an interim capacity until a new government is formed after Nov. 1 elections, though the vote could potentially lead to a deadlock for once again and to prolong the multi-year political deadlock of the country. “The state of Israel is bigger than all of us. More important than any of us. They were here before us, and they will be here long after us,” he said on Saturday, adding: “We must choose the common good. what unites us. There will always be disagreements, the question is how we manage them and how we make sure they don’t manage us.” “The big Israeli question is really why, at a time when we have broad national agreement on all important issues, are the levels of hatred and anxiety in Israeli society so high? Why is polarization more threatening than ever?” he continued. Get The Times of Israel Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories By signing up, you agree to the terms “The answer is — politics. In Israel, extremism does not come from the streets into politics. It’s the opposite. It flows like lava from politics on the streets. The political sphere is becoming more and more extreme, violent and vicious, and is taking Israeli society down with it. We have to stop this. This is our challenge.” Dumb speech, full text: We must stop the flow of extremism from politics to the streets That was an apparent reference to the rhetoric of opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, who is leading a scathing campaign against the ideologically diverse government that ousted him a year ago, focusing in particular on Lapid and Bennett’s willingness to form a coalition with Islamists. Raam party. Lapid opened his speech by thanking his predecessor Bennett – with whom he had signed a power-sharing agreement to rotate leadership – for the “orderly transition of power”. “I want to start by thanking the 13th Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Naftali Bennett. For your decency, for your friendship, and for guiding the government over the past year to economic and security achievements not seen here in years,” he said, adding “a special thank you for allowing the citizens of Israel to see this week a smooth transition between people who keep agreements and believe in each other.” It was a jab at Netanyahu, who broke a 2020 power transition deal with Benny Gantz and who last year held only a brief, 30-minute transition meeting with incoming prime minister Bennett. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett briefs his successor Yair Lapid in the Prime Minister’s Office, June 30, 2022 (Haim Zach / GPO) Lapid laid out what he said should be the common goal of Israelis: “A Jewish, democratic, liberal, great, strong, advanced and prosperous Israel.” “We believe that Israel should be a liberal democracy in which every citizen has the right to change the government and determine the course of their lives. No one can be deprived of their fundamental rights: respect, freedom, freedom to work and the right to personal security,” he said. “We believe that Israel is a Jewish state,” he added. “His character is Jewish. His identity is Jewish. Its relations with its non-Jewish citizens are also Jewish. The book of Leviticus says: “But the stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself.” “We believe that the Israeli economy should be based on free market principles, the creativity and dynamism of Israeli technology, and that our job is to protect those who have nothing. To provide a fair chance for every child, everywhere.” In a starkly different stance than Netanyahu’s on peace talks with the Palestinians, Lapid said: “We believe that as long as Israel’s security needs are met, Israel is a country that seeks peace. Israel is reaching out to all the peoples of the Middle East, including the Palestinians, and saying: it’s time for you to recognize that we will never leave here, let’s learn to live together.” Referring to the normalization agreements with Arab countries signed by the previous Netanyahu government — and hinting at possible similar ones in the future, Lapid said: “We believe that there is a great blessing in the Abraham Accords, a great blessing in security and economic momentum created in Negev Summit with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Morocco, and that there will be a great blessing in the agreements that follow.” Such a deal is said to be in the works with Saudi Arabia, with US President Joe Biden due to visit both countries later this month. Lapid paid tribute to “our greatest friend and ally, the United States,” and pledged to leverage the international community in “the fight against anti-Semitism and the delegitimization of Israel.” Lapid said Israel’s most serious threat is Iran, vowing: “We will do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear capability or entrenching itself on our borders.” “I say to all who seek our death, from Gaza to Tehran, from the shores of Lebanon to Syria: do not test us. Israel knows how to use its power against any threat, against any enemy,” he warned. Benjamin Netanyahu speaks in the Knesset ahead of a vote to dissolve the parliament on June 30, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90) Netanyahu’s Likud party issued a response criticizing Lapid’s speech, saying it failed to address the “crazy” rise in prices over the past year and claimed he was trying to “hide the fact that the only government he can form is with the Brothers Muslims and the common list”. The predominantly Arab Joint List party has never been in an Israeli coalition government. “On Friday, it was revealed that he sent his chief of staff Naama Schultz to [Islamic Movement’s] The Shura Council with open control,” the Likud statement said, referring to comments by a former diplomatic adviser to Bennett in relation to the Muslim body to which the Raham party joins. “Such a government is a real danger to Israel’s security,” Likud said. “The choice is a blackmailed Lapid government that includes the Muslim Brotherhood and the Joint List, or a strong national government led by Netanyahu and Likud that will restore hope to Israel.” Likud also took issue with Lapid for failing to mention that the Abraham Accords were signed under the Netanyahu government, argued that Lapid had “maintained a deafening silence” on the Iranian threat over the past year, and claimed that his own rhetoric and actions Lapid was divisive.
