Lapid criticizes Netanyahu for October 7 failures, urges resignation

Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), responding to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Knesset speech, criticized Netanyahu for his perceived lack of understanding and accountability.

“Mr. Prime Minister, it’s amazing that you still don’t understand. There will be no museum, no square, no fountain named after you. Only one thing will be remembered—October 7,” Lapid said. “Your attempts to shift blame and responsibility to your subordinates and to slander the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet won’t help. There will be no library, no bridge, no airport bearing your name—only October 7.”

Lapid continued by referencing lines from Chaim Guri: “Here are our motionless bodies lying in an endless formation. Death looks out of our eye sockets, our faces are unrecognizable. We're not breathing.” He questioned if Netanyahu thought the hostages would be forgotten and criticized his ongoing failures. “There’s not a single leader in the world who would still be in office after such a disaster. Take responsibility, ask for forgiveness, and leave.”

Lapid accused Netanyahu of making false claims about Hamas being contained and recounted a press conference he held two weeks before October 7, warning of disaster. “You saw the same intelligence materials, the same warnings, but you ignored them. You were too busy dismantling the judicial system. IDF generals and the Chief of the General Staff begged you to stop, but you dismissed their concerns. You thought you were buying peace with money, but you were deceived. You initiated employment for Palestinians from Gaza, who then gathered information on us from day one.”