Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of weaponizing public anxiety following official claims that regional adversaries could launch military strikes before next month’s general election. Lapid, who heads the Yesh Atid party, rejected the assessment after attending a closed-door security briefing with the prime minister on Tuesday. The meeting followed public warnings issued by the defense establishment.
Voting will proceed without interruption.
Earlier on Tuesday, Netanyahu appeared in a video recorded in front of a fighter jet at a military airbase, claiming authorities had gathered intelligence indicating that foreign adversaries intend to attack the country prior to the vote. While he stopped short of identifying specific actors, the premier has issued direct retaliation warnings in recent weeks against Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian Authority.
Lapid demanded an urgent briefing immediately following the video release, later asserting that national leadership had no justification for inciting public panic. He reiterated that the scheduled polling timetable must remain inviolable, adding that no political faction possessed a legitimate reason to postpone electoral processes.
The opposition chief further alleged that active defense installations were being converted into stage props for campaign videos. Lapid also cited the administration’s failure to heed intelligence warnings prior to the October 7, 2023 cross-border attacks, which initiated the military assault on Gaza that has killed more than 76,000 Palestinians.
