Opposition Chairman Yair Lapid addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today (Monday) at the start of his faction's meeting in the Knesset - with a proposal to set a date for the elections.
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""Instead of quarrels in wartime. Instead of all the politics, I have a proposal for Benjamin Netanyahu: Let's sit down, you and I, the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, and set a date for the elections," Lapid exclaimed.
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Lapid claimed: "After the greatest disaster in the history of the country, we need a government that will regain the public's trust, the trust of the security system, and that will have a plan for the day after. Netanyahu, let's save all the politics for the people of Israel and the State of Israel. Let's sit down, set a date for the elections, set the rules of the game, and decide among ourselves how to manage this so that it doesn't harm the war effort. I am ready to discuss any reasonable proposal. Let's have a discussion, set a date, and spare the people of Israel all the unnecessary skirmishes while our fighters in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of Israelis are being evacuated from their homes, and the kidnapped are still in Hamas tunnels.".
According to him, "In the end, it will happen anyway. Either through constructive distrust, or there will be a majority to dissolve the Knesset. It will take another month, another two months. In the end, it will come. There are enough people in your coalition who can't stand it anymore. Israel needs change, but it can be done without tearing the people apart. It's time for the leadership to set an example that it can be done differently. With a joint decision of both parts of the house.".
The one who came out against the move was Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman, who made it clear at the beginning of his faction's meeting that he opposed bringing the elections forward and holding them in the near future.
""On a principled level, we need unity. The State of Israel needs unity and elections are a dispute. To enter into 90 days of Jewish wars, slander, mutual accusations, is absolutely not the time," said Lieberman.
He added: "Therefore, even on a practical level, when I look at it - I don't understand how we will hold elections on a practical level. 200,000 reservists in Gaza - who will go to Khan Yunis to count votes? How will the residents of Sderot and Kiryat Shmona vote? I also take into account that Gantz and Eisenkot are in the government, so there is no practical feasibility for this.".
""This is not the time for political moves and not the time for Jewish wars," Lieberman stated.
