Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, a frequent critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza, said on Sunday he now fully backs the government in its confrontation with Iran, declaring that “this is not political — it’s existential.”
Lapid said he had “criticized the government over its management of the war in Gaza” but stressed that the current crisis with Iran required national unity rather than partisan division. He framed the threat facing Israel as one that goes beyond day-to-day politics, saying the country’s security and future were at stake.
“This time, I stand behind the government,” Lapid said, adding that Israel must present a united front as tensions surge following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He argued that Israel’s enemies should see that internal disagreements are set aside when the country faces what he called an existential challenge.
The centrist opposition chief has long accused Netanyahu of mishandling the Gaza war and damaging Israel’s international standing, but his latest remarks signal a temporary political truce as Israel braces for potential Iranian retaliation and a wider regional escalation. Lapid’s message of unity is likely aimed both at the Israeli public and foreign allies, underscoring that key political factions support the government’s security posture despite deep domestic disputes.
