Yesh Atid opposition party leader MK Yair Lapid announced his party is centrist and he will not join a left-wing block in Knesset.

Speaking to Channel 2 News, Lapid explained he will not interfere with left-wing efforts to organize, but his party will not be a part of it.

He added his reason for entering politics was not merely to oust Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, but the party has an agenda. He cited that he was a cabinet member during the last IDF military operation in Gaza, Operation Protective Edge; explaining, “I looked at all of us in a very powerful decision-making position and determined who is cool, who can make decisions, who understands the full width of the situation and who is not, and I can manage it better.”

He added he is in regular contact with former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and has learned they have a great deal in common and plan to remain in touch until the elections.

Likud officials added, “In response to his statements pertaining to PM Netanyahu’s handling of Operation Protective Ede, his criticism is shattered compared to Lapid’s compliments made on August 7, 2014 regarding the management of the operation by PM Netanyahu when he said, ‘the cabinet acted responsibly and conducted the operation properly’ and who ran the cabinet?”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)