Israeli opposition leader rallies behind Netanyahu's Iran operation, suspending months of criticism
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Roughly 24 hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a blistering assault on Iran, Israel's opposition was scheming to bring down his government.
Now, just days into the ongoing operation against Iran, the opposition has closed ranks behind the effort, suspending months of bitter criticism against Netanyahu and his handling of the war in Gaza.
It's a sharp about-face for a constellation of parties that have criticized Netanyahu throughout the war for what they have charged is his politically motivated decision-making.
'It's not the right moment to do politics,' opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid told The Associated Press on Monday in his first international media interview since the start of the operation against Iran.
The latest conflict began when Israel launched an assault on Iran's top military leaders, uranium enrichment sites and nuclear scientists that it said was necessary to prevent its longtime adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon — which Israel says would pose an existential threat. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful.
Lapid spoke just days after he called from the dais of the Israeli parliament for an election to oust Netanyahu.
'Yes, this government needs to be toppled, but not in the midst of an existential fight,' Lapid said.
And that fight has become personal. His son's home was damaged in an Iranian strike, although no one was there at the time except for house pets.
Israeli politicians across the spectrum typically fall in line behind government actions during times of war or crisis. But the deep polarization in the country, much of it fueled by the public's view of Netanyahu, and the loud protests against his rule that preceded the war in Gaza and continued through it make the opposition's change of tack all the more striking.
The past 20 months have also been an unprecedented time in Israeli history, with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 — the deadliest the country has ever faced — sparking the war in Gaza. And then a war against the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon and now a major escalation with Iran.
Netanyahu, a divisive leader who has governed nearly uninterrupted for 16 years, has been at the helm throughout that period. On trial for alleged corruption and reliant on far-right parties to maintain his power, he has stoked accusations that he's prolonging the war in Gaza to appease his governing partners and delay an election that could put an end to his rule.
While Netanyahu says he's acting in Israel's best interest, opposition parties, including Lapid's Yesh Atid, have hit hard at that idea. But after Israel began its operation against Iran, he and other opposition party leaders lent their support, emphasizing that they were backing the military.
'We didn't rally behind the government,' Lapid said from his party office in Tel Aviv. 'We rallied behind the necessity to operate on the moment that was inevitable.'
Lapid, a former television anchorman and one-time boxer, entered politics in 2013. He became caretaker prime minister briefly in 2022, as part of a deal with another party. He didn't succeed in forming a coalition in an election held shortly after, which returned Netanyahu to power in a government made up of far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
Throughout most of the war, Lapid and other opposition lawmakers have pushed Netanyahu to make a deal with Hamas to free hostages held in Gaza.
Lapid made a speech last month to Israel's parliament, which is called the Knesset, that marked 600 days since the start of the war in Gaza. Lapid slammed Netanyahu for bringing a conflict upon Israel that didn't exist during his own brief time in office.
Netanyahu, whose own political fortunes have mostly dimmed throughout the Middle East conflict, has enjoyed brief bumps in public support on the tail of military successes, like a round of fighting with Hezbollah last year. He could gain the same boost, if public opinion rallies behind the Iran operation.
Polls before the campaign showed that Netanyahu would struggle to form a coalition if an election were held today. Lapid's party, now the second largest with 24 seats in the 120-seat parliament, could lose half or more of its support, polls show.
But Lapid said that the politics, and Netanyahu's motivations, were irrelevant now, because striking Iran was 'the right thing to do.'
'Benjamin Netanyahu is a bitter political rival,' said Lapid. 'I think he's the wrong person to lead the country. But on that, he was right.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
21 minutes ago
- The Hill
Israel recovers bodies of three hostages from Gaza
Israel announced on Sunday that it recovered the remains of three hostages from Gaza and that their bodies had been returned to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the three individuals as Yonatan Samerano, Shai Levinson and Ofra Kedar, saying they were 'murdered and taken hostage' during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas and taken hostage into Gaza. 'Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the dear families, and share in their deep sorrow,' Netanyahu said. 'I thank the commander and our fighters for the successful action, their determination and their courage,' he continued. Netanyahu said Israel is continuing its effort to bring home the hostages — even as it has opened a new front with its war with Iran, with which Israel has been exchanging strikes for more than a week. The statement came shortly after President Trump announced that the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. 'The campaign to return the hostages is ongoing and is continuing in parallel to our campaign against Iran,' Netanyahu said. 'We will not rest until we return home all of our hostages, the living and the deceased.'
The Hill
26 minutes ago
- The Hill
Netanyahu praises Trump Iran strikes: ‘Peace through strength'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked President Trump on Saturday for directing U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. 'President Trump and I often say, 'Peace through strength.' First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength,' Netanyahu said in a video on the social platform X. 'President Trump, I thank you. The people of Israel thank you. The forces of civilization thank you. God bless America. God bless Israel. And may God bless our unshakable Alliance our unbreakable faith,' he continued. Trump announced on Saturday evening that the U.S. had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites and said, 'NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!' Netanyahu congratulated Trump for making the 'bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States,' saying it 'will change history.' Netanyahu touted the efforts Israel has made in its strikes against Iran, adding, 'but in tonight's action against Iran's nuclear facilities, America has been truly unsurpassed.' 'It has done what no other country on Earth could do. History will record: President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime, the world's most dangerous weapons,' the Israeli leader said. 'His leadership today has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace,' he continued, referring to Trump. The announcement of U.S. action against Iran came two days after the White House said Trump would decide whether to get involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel 'in the next two weeks' to give a window for negotiations. White House sources indicated the U.S. had given Israel a heads up before it struck the Iranian sites and that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke after the strikes. It marked a significant entrance by the U.S. into a conflict that Israel and Iran had been in for more than a week. It also indicated a shift by Trump, who said he was seeking a diplomatic solution with Iran and sent U.S. officials to make a deal with Tehran on its nuclear program.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Remains of three Israeli hostages recovered from Gaza
The Israeli military has said it has recovered the remains of three hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The military identified the remains as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war. The militant group is still holding 50 hostages, with less than half of them believed to be alive. The military did not provide any details about the recovery operation, and it is unclear if an air strike which killed four Palestinians was related to it. 'The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan's 23rd birthday. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack. More than half the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Four people were killed on Sunday in an air strike in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Al-Awda Hospital, where the bodies were brought. It said another 22 people were injured while waiting for aid trucks. Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds seeking desperately needed food, killing hundreds of people in recent weeks. The military says it has fired warning shots at people it said approached its forces in a suspicious manner. The Hostages Families Forum, the main organization representing families of the hostages, has repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining captives. 'Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory,' it said in a statement on Sunday. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Mr Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying Israel will continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. Even then, he has said Israel will maintain lasting control over Gaza and facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary emigration of much of its population, plans the Palestinians and others view as forcible expulsion. Separately, World Central Kitchen, the charity run by celebrity chef Jose Andres, said it had resumed the distribution of hot meals in Gaza for the first time in six weeks after shutting down because of Israel's blockade, which was loosened last month amid fears of famine.
