Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization
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Lapid escalates criticism of Netanyahu, accusing him of further isolating "Israel" on the regional and international levelز
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Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid speaks in support of Israeli captives family members during a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, Sunday, April 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Saturday that reports of an Egyptian proposal to establish a joint Arab force to counter continued Israeli aggressions represent a "severe blow" to normalization agreements, particularly after several of "Israel's" allied states voted in favor of recognizing a Palestinian state.
According to Israeli broadcaster Kan 11, Lapid launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, accusing it of eroding "Israel's" international standing through a "dangerous mix of irresponsibility, incompetence, and arrogance." He called for the government to be replaced before it is too late.
Lapid further warned that current policies have destabilized "Israel's" regional and international relations, cautioning that this could have grave consequences for its political and diplomatic future.
His scathing remarks come after the UN General Assembly adopted, by an overwhelming majority, a declaration setting out concrete, time-bound, and irreversible steps toward a "two-state solution" on Friday.
Lapid’s intensifying criticism of Netanyahu
Lapid’s comments come against a backdrop of persistent criticism he has leveled at Netanyahu since returning to opposition leadership in 2023. He has repeatedly described the prime minister as “an existential threat to Israel,” arguing that Netanyahu’s policies have weakened both security and diplomacy.
He has also accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war in Gaza for personal political survival, saying in July 2025 that "this government has led us into a political catastrophe, one failure after another."
Recently, Lapid was openly declaring that Netanyahu leads "an illegitimate minority government" with no majority in the Knesset or among the people, warning that under his rule "the hostages will die, soldiers will die, the economy will fall apart and our international standing will collapse."
Global isolation, declining support
Under Netanyahu’s leadership, "Israel" has faced growing international isolation. Polling across 24 countries in 2025 found that global views of both "Israel" and Netanyahu were overwhelmingly negative.
Even in the US, traditionally "Israel's" closest ally, Netanyahu’s unfavorable rating has reached 52%, his highest since 1997, while American support for "Israel's" military actions in Gaza has dropped to just 32%, a record low.
Diplomatic fallout has been equally severe. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes, placing Netanyahu among a handful of world leaders to face such charges.
Several European states, including Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia, have recognized Palestinian statehood, with France, the UK, and Canada indicating they will follow suit. Former staunch allies such as Germany and the UK have also taken unprecedented steps, including halting military exports and urging "Israel" to change course in Gaza.
Domestically, awareness of this diplomatic decline is high, with 58% of Israelis now saying that their entity is "not too or not at all respected" around the world.
