Former Finance Minister Yair Lapid and head of the Yesh Atid party addressed the Kalkalist economic summit, using the forum to lash out against the Likud and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Lapid told his audience “Prime Minister Netanyahu likes to instill fear in the public. I heard the prime minister yesterday when he said he will not permit a situation in which one will require an armored vehicle to visit the Kosel. Mr. Prime Minister, what era are you stuck in? It is good he did not say ‘I will not permit a return to the British Mandate or close the Straits of Tiran, or I will block the appointment of Foreign Minister Golda Meir with my body’. This time around it will not work because the Israeli public understands fear is not a substitute for policy. The public understands fear can no longer cover for the ongoing failures, diplomatic, economic and social”.

Lapid continued, “If Netanyahu is prime minister again what kind of government do you think he will have? It will be more right-wing extremist, more religious, more extreme and it will rest on the chareidim and Naftali Bennett.

“Do you have any doubt that this type of government will result in our standing in the international community to deteriorate even more? Look at Russia with all its might – do you think it believed the sanctions could have such an impact? Do you think the world does not look at us and ask itself perhaps the time has come to confront us? This time around such a confrontation will include the United States, that Netanyahu himself with his irresponsible statements drove the relationship to an unprecedented low”.

Lapid then moved on to the accomplishments of his economic policies and religion & state legislation. He warns that if PM Netanyahu returns to head the nation, the “inflated budgets” will return to yeshivos and the core subjects including English and math will not be taught. He praised the outgoing coalition’s accomplishments regarding sharing the burden, which he stated resulted in a 300% increase among young chareidim seeking employment.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)