Sources in the Blue & White party predict that Yair Lapid will break from the Blue & White Party following elections on September 17, 2019 for 22nd Knesset. After the publication of his controversial election video, some in Blue & White feel that Lapid wishes to differentiate himself from the party and bring back his anti-chareidi struggle.

Clearly, Blue & White leader MK Benny Gantz maintains a working relationship with the chareidim, as the former IDF Chief of Staff is respectful, even when he is in disagreement as opposed to Lapid, who seems to feel that targeting the chareidim is his ticket to political success.

According to a report appearing in Tuesday’s Yediot Achronot newspaper, Lapid plans to dismantle the arrangement with Gantz’s party once the election is over, especially amid reports that Gantz is not ruling out a unity government with Likud and Netanyahu.

The senior unnamed source who spoke with Yediot explained that Lapid released the controversial video without their knowledge, without consulting with the party’s election campaign officials. “Such a video causes significant damage even if Lapid and his people did not intend it” they explain.

In the video, which depicts a conversation in a mock WhatsApp group headed by PM Netanyahu, with members being potential coalition partners, including the chareidim – Deputy Minister Litzman and Minister Aryeh Deri as calling on the PM for NIS billions and “all the money the state has”, depicting the chareidim in what Litzman calls, “anti-Semitic” fashion.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)