Opposition leader Yair Lapid blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with Channel 12 News on Wednesday and described him as “the biggest con man in the history of the country.”
In the interview, Lapid commented on Israel”s recent crisis with the United States.
“The Americans know what is happening here, and they report every tweet on Twitter down to the minute,” Lapid stressed. “The crisis arose because they know the truth – they know that Israel is treading on a dangerous path that could end up with us not being the only democracy in the Middle East.”
He went on to criticize the conduct of Netanyahu and the government during the crisis, saying, “The Americans say – ‘We have agreed all these years that we will support you because you are a well-run democratic country, if you do not continue to be a well-run democratic country – you will lose our support’. For two months now Israel has not been the closest ally of the United States.”
Lapid stated that he would continue to attend demonstrations against the judicial reform, despite the fact that talks on a compromise have begun at the President”s Residence.
To the question of whether the demonstrations will stop, the head of the opposition replied, “I am not giving instructions to the protest, it is independent. People are in a complex mood – they want to give a chance for negotiations because the people are torn apart and we deserve great healing, we need healing and a constitution. On the other hand, they are suspicious, because we are doing business with the biggest con man in history of the country.”

The Yesh Atid chairman stressed that his party’s negotiating teams came to the President’s Residence in order to talk, “But you come with suspicion and want to make sure that they don’t pull any tricks.” At the same time, Lapid clarified that he hopes for good news: “I see a scenario where we will come out better than we entered. The country yearns for a constitution based on the Declaration of Independence – the Likud should strive for this no less than we do.”
Lapid was asked about recent polls that indicate, among other things, that his party is weakening in favor of Benny Gantz”s National Unity Party and replied, “I was happy. A huge liberal camp was born that tells itself that it is done being a sucker – that it has values that it is ready to fight for.”