Yair Lapid has become Israel’s interim prime minister. He takes over from Naftali Bennet who was in power for a year before the Israeli Parliament – Knesset was dissolved. A Centrist party leader, Lapid will lead the country as it gears up for elections on November 1.
Last week the coalition headed by Bennet collapsed which in turn will result in Israel’s fourth elections in five years. Lapid is faced with a tough challenger in Benjamin Netanyahu who is desperate to return to power.
The new PM is unlikely to undertake bold new initiatives as an interim leader although he says he is committed to a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians.
As per an existing agreement to rotate the premiership, Bennet handed over power to Lapid and will act as alternate PM until the elections. Bennet has said he will not take part in the upcoming elections.
According to the BBC, Israel has seen a record-setting cycle of elections since April 2019 as parties time and again failed to secure enough seats to form a governing coalition with a majority. The Lapid-Bennett coalition temporarily broke the stalemate.
The BBC added that, the outgoing government was the most diverse in Israel’s history, comprising eight parties from across the political spectrum – including those with ideologically opposing views. It also contained an independent Arab party for the first time since the state was established in 1948.
In a TV address last week, Bennet said that he and Lapid “turned over every single rock” to ensure the coalition did not fall, but added that the government had no more options except to call for elections.
The announcement was hailed by Netanyahu as “great news for millions of Israeli citizens”.
