Yair Lapid Reflects on Party Struggles and Pre-Oct. 7 Warnings

Former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid has spoken candidly about the current challenges facing his Yesh Atid party, acknowledging a significant decline in support and the departure of long-time members ahead of the upcoming elections. In an interview with "120 Minutes," Lapid described the difficulty of informing founding members that they would not be running on the party's slate, admitting he lost sleep over these farewell conversations.

Lapid also addressed recent reports suggesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received specific warnings about an impending attack, including from the ruler of the UAE, approximately ten days before the October 7th Hamas massacre. Lapid stated that he himself held an unusual press conference on September 20th, two weeks prior to the attack, warning of a "terrible thing" and a "multi-arena conflagration," particularly concerning Gaza. He recounted a security briefing with Netanyahu about a month before the massacre, where he was presented with intelligence indicating an imminent escalation and that terror groups saw it as an opportunity. Lapid expressed shock at the intelligence and at Netanyahu's apparent indifference, describing him as "bored" and exhibiting "hubris."

Lapid criticized the current government's handling of foreign policy, citing the UK's sanctions against Israel over its West Bank policies. He argued that closing the British consulate in East Jerusalem, a move he deemed "foolish and irresponsible," would be legally problematic and damage Israel's foreign relations. He also questioned the effectiveness of Gideon Saar's tenure as Foreign Minister, suggesting he was sidelined from key diplomatic relationships.

Reflecting on his own party's situation, Lapid characterized the current period as the most difficult since Yesh Atid's founding. He explained the decision not to join the government after October 7th, believing it would have legitimized "Kahanism" and given undue influence to figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir. Lapid expressed confidence that his bloc would win the upcoming elections, forming a government without relying on Arab or ultra-Orthodox parties, and dismissed the idea of forming a minority government.