Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has called for elections during the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, stating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “cannot continue in office.”
This marks the first instance of a senior Israeli official advocating for elections during the course of the war, as previous calls were primarily directed towards holding elections after its conclusion.
In an interview with the “Ynet” website affiliated with “Yedioth Ahronoth” newspaper, Lapid emphasized that Netanyahu’s tenure as prime minister is untenable, and elections can and should be conducted while the conflict persists.
Despite the call for elections, Netanyahu is determined to press on with the war, aiming to bring an end to Hamas’ rule in Gaza since 2007 and neutralize the military capabilities of the movement, which claims to resist Israeli occupation in defense of the Palestinian cause.
Anticipations within Israel suggest that post-war investigations into military and intelligence failures against Hamas could potentially spell the end of Netanyahu’s political career.
For the past year, Netanyahu has led a coalition government described as the “most extreme right-wing government in the history of Israel” by the Hebrew media.
Regarding the possibility of a new truce agreement involving a prisoner exchange deal, Lapid stressed the need for a new proposal on the table, expressing readiness to support the government, even if it involves accepting painful terms in a deal related to kidnapped individuals. Netanyahu, in response to Lapid’s statements, has refrained from commenting directly and instead sought to hold the army and intelligence services accountable for perceived failures, a move that has drawn criticism, even from within his own government.
