Yair Lapid

04
Jul
2022

A New Sheriff in Town (For Now)

Caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid officially took over his post from PM Naftali Bennett over the weekend. In his first cabinet meeting Lapid said his goal was “to manage the government as if there are no elections,” referring to Israel’s upcoming November 1, Knesset elections. Will it be possible for the new PM to achieve this goal and effectively run the country, or will he be too busy making sure that his Yesh Atid faction does well when Israel goes to the polls after the high holidays? Josh Hasten discusses this story along with all the other headlines from Israel on this week’s “Israel Uncensored,” podcast.

Photo Credit: Image courtesy of the Spokesperson unit of the President of Israel

Posted by Josh Hasten in Israel Uncensored
27
Jun
2022

New Elections or a New Government from Within?

Will Israel be headed to its fifth Knesset elections in the past three and a half years or will an opposition member – namely former Prime Minister Netanyahu succeed in forming a government within the current Knesset? The Israeli public should have an answer to that question by the end of the week. At the same time the EU obsession with trying to bring Iran into the mainstream world community continues with Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the EU, reportedly visiting Tehran. Israel’s Foreign Minister (and possible interim Prime Minister) Yair Lapid was not too pleased with the visit, on the heels of reports that the Iranians had plotted to murder Israelis in Turkey. Plus all the latest news from Israel on this week’s Israel Uncensored with Josh Hasten.

Photo Credit: Knesset_1368 / Commons Wikimedia

Posted by Josh Hasten in Israel Uncensored
14
Sep
2021

Lapid’s Misguided Gaza Strategy

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid laid out his strategy for the future of Gaza at a conference on terrorism yesterday. His plan – to defeat Hamas through economic improvements and through diplomacy. On this week’s Israel Uncensored with Josh Hasten, Josh argues that Lapid has it completely backwards. Instead of easing conditions in Gaza, which the residents there would then credit Hamas for accomplishing, Israel should create a reality in which Gazans want to see the terror group Hamas dethroned and out of their lives completely. This story plus all the latest news from Israel on this week’s show.

Posted by Josh Hasten in Israel Uncensored
26
Jul
2021

FM Claims Israel’s Bad PR Causes Anti-Semitism

On Sunday, Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid claimed that Israel’s failed PR policies are partially to blame for the biggest rise in anti-Semitism since World War II. Josh Hasten, on this week’s edition of “Israel Uncensored,” said that Lapid’s comments were ridiculous, and Israel’s Foreign Minister shouldn’t be making excuses (especially using self-blame) for Jew-hatred, a 4,000 year old phenomena. While Israel’s PR efforts might need an overhaul, Hasten argued that there was no correlation between the anti-Semites’ hatred, and the way Israel presents itself.

Photo Credit: Goodreads

Posted by Josh Hasten in Israel Uncensored
20
Jun
2021

Will Bennett-Lapid Government Have Political Power to Address Israel’s Contentious Issues?

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett with Minister of Justice Gideon Saar during a swearing in ceremony of new Israeli parliament members at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, June 16, 2021. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett with Minister of Justice Gideon Saar during a swearing in ceremony of new Israeli parliament members at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, June 16, 2021. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Yamina Party head Naftali Bennett was sworn in as Israel’s 13th prime minister on Sunday evening with a razor-thin 60 Knesset member majority. At the same time, Yesh Atid Party head Yair Lapid was sworn in as Israel’s 14th prime minister and will serve as the alternate prime minister, slated to take over for Bennett in two years’ time.

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Posted by Josh Hasten in Jewish News Syndicate
31
May
2021

Prime Minister Bennett?

Last night, Yamina party head Naftali Bennett announced that he will be forming a governing coalition with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and other anti-Netanyahu parties in order to unseat the Prime Minister. Unless something dramatic happens over the next few days, it looks like Bennett will become Israel’s PM for the next two years, followed by Lapid for the following two. The move angered many right-winger voters who accused Bennett of breaking an election promise that he would not serve under Lapid. Does Prime Minister Netanyahu have any more rabbits under his hat or is this the end of his current 12 year run (15 years in total) as Israel’s PM?

Photo Credit: The Israel Project: Mati Milstein

Posted by Josh Hasten in Israel Uncensored