Yair Lapid. Foto: EPA/UPG
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, leader of the country’s largest opposition party, has announced that he will save Benjamin Netanyahu’s government from a potential vote of no confidence in parliament if Netanyahu agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza that ensures the release of hostages held by Hamas, Reuters reports.
Last week, Netanyahu authorized the resumption of negotiations for a possible deal with Hamas that would lead to the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for halting Israeli military actions in Gaza.
However, some of his right-wing partners, who have been in the government since the November 2022 elections, have already threatened to leave the coalition if Israel stops the war in Gaza before the “eradication” of Hamas.
Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid party, stated at a meeting of his party’s parliamentary group that “there is a deal on the table regarding the hostages.”
“It is not true that Netanyahu has to choose between the hostage deal and continuing his mandate as Prime Minister. Let him make the deal,” he added.
“I promised him a safety net, and I will keep that promise,” he told his party’s deputies, referring to the scenario where Netanyahu’s coalition collapses and his former allies then try to bring down the government.
Lapid mentioned that it was difficult for him to make this decision, given his opposition to Netanyahu, but “the most important thing is to bring the hostages home.”
Israeli authorities estimate that Hamas still holds around 120 hostages taken during the unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on October 7 last year.
The two right-wing parties in Netanyahu’s coalition that vehemently oppose any deal with Hamas have a total of 13 seats in the Knesset, Israel’s unicameral parliament. In contrast, Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party has 24 deputies.
