Lapid: No War With Iran Expected Before Elections

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid stated in a radio interview on Monday that based on his intelligence information, a war with Iran is not expected before the upcoming elections. He also criticized the current government, warning that its continued leadership would lead to another "October 7th" and a "Dubai Play," with Israelis' lives remaining unmanaged. Lapid further addressed the significant emigration of doctors from Israel and attacked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's advisor, Yonatan Uriach.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had previously indicated he might be open to sitting with Netanyahu after the elections under certain coalition conditions. Lapid, however, clarified that his party would not cooperate with Bennett in any configuration, dismissing Bennett's remarks as potentially taken out of context and ironic. Lapid urged the public to vote to replace the government, arguing that the current administration has led to a quarter-million productive Israelis leaving the country and a decline in healthcare quality, citing the departure of pediatricians as a particular concern.

Lapid also criticized Netanyahu's preparedness on the eve of October 7th, claiming he met with the Prime Minister that afternoon and found him inactive despite prior warnings. He attributed this to "arrogance" stemming from prolonged time in power, advocating for term limits to prevent leaders from losing touch with reality. Lapid suggested Netanyahu manipulates the media agenda by raising the specter of war with Iran to distract from domestic issues.

While not anticipating a pre-election conflict with Iran, Lapid expressed distrust in the current government's ability to manage such a conflict effectively, citing a failed joint operation with the Americans. He also condemned Uriach for allegedly receiving money from Qatar while it supported the "destruction of the State of Israel," questioning his position in the Prime Minister's office. Lapid further criticized Channel 14 as a propaganda outlet for Netanyahu, funded by an "oligarch and his draft-dodging son," and lamented the normalization of "crazy things" on public platforms, which he sees as a corruption of Israeli society.