The key facts
- Lapid called Defense Minister Katz's statement 'a gift to Israel's enemies' and accused the government of looking for scapegoats.
- Eisenkot said Netanyahu and Katz remaining in power threatens Israel's security.
- Katz blamed opposition leaders for 'any attack on Israel' and future terror attacks.
Opposition against the government on the eve of the election
Israeli opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of putting his own political survival above the country's interests. The statements came amid criticism of the government and its handling of security warnings a week before the election scheduled for next Tuesday.
Reaction to the defense minister's remarks
The accusations were prompted by a statement from Defense Minister Israel Katz, who earlier the same day held opposition leaders responsible for 'any attack on Israel and all future terrorist acts.' According to him, such attacks 'will be recorded in the names of Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, Yair Golan and their other opposition colleagues.'
Statements by Lapid and Eisenkot
In a post on the X platform, Lapid called Katz's statement 'reckless and hysterical' and 'a gift to Israel's enemies,' and also accused the government of turning the country's security into a 'farce' and looking for scapegoats. In his words, these remarks are 'a clear admission of complete inability to govern the country and ensure the security of its citizens.' Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the opposition Yashar party and former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said that Netanyahu and Katz remaining in power poses a threat to the country's security. He called it 'absurd' for the defense minister to blame political opponents for attacks the enemy may carry out in the future, adding: 'Every additional day they hold their posts is a danger to Israel's security. In five days we will put an end to this at the ballot boxes.'
Election context and Netanyahu's status
The statements came amid uncertainty surrounding the election: officials have repeatedly warned of a possible Iranian attack on Israel or potential Israeli strikes on Iran before the vote. Netanyahu has led the government since late December 2022; the coalition is widely described as the most right-wing in Israel's history. He is also on trial on charges of corruption, bribery and breach of trust in three cases, and since 2024 the International Criminal Court has had him on a wanted list on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, where, according to a source, more than 74,000 people have died since October 2023.
