Netanyahu responsible for the greatest failure in our history: Lapid
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The opposition leader ended his speech at the Knesset today by telling Netanyahu, "You cannot remain prime minister."
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In this May 6, 2021, file photo, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid listens during a news conference in "Tel Aviv", Palestine. (AP)
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, accusing him of failing in "his duty" and deeming his government "illegitimate."
"Why are you still the prime minister when you are responsible for the biggest failure in our history?" Lapid directly addressed Netanyahu as he was delivering a speech at the Knesset.
"You are not qualified to remain prime minister, and your government ministers are stealing public funds, causing problems, and destroying the future of our children," added the opposition leader.
Lapid further mentioned that the number of captives "dropped from 133 to 125 in a week" and ended his speech by telling Netanyahu, "You cannot remain prime minister."
Read more: 'Netanyahu will return your captives in coffins': Al-Qassam video
Lapid's remarks come at a critical juncture as the Israeli public advocates for an exchange deal without a clear post-war strategy after 8 months of fighting, during which the Israeli army did not attain any declared war objectives.
These challenges are compounded by collapsed negotiations due to Israeli obstinacy and its military operation in Rafah.
On another note, the Israeli prime minister's office said Benjamin Netanyahu is adamantly opposed to the Israeli forces pulling out of the Gaza Strip.
"Sinwar [leader of the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip] continues to demand the end of the war, the withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip and leaving Hamas in place, so that it will be able to carry out the atrocities of October 7 again and again. Prime Minister Netanyahu strongly opposes this," the office said on Sunday.
On Sunday, the former head of Mossad Danny Yatom said that "time is running out" for the Israeli captives in Gaza, that "Israel" will fail to achieve any of its war objectives, and that Gaza will remain the way it is. Even if the army "remained in Gaza for several more months, fighting over and under its lands, they would still not be able to kill every Hamas fighter or even the majority of them," he added.
The army would also fail to destroy the Resistance's infrastructure in Gaza or even its majority, he further said.
Then on Monday, Israeli war cabinet minister Gadi Eisenkot said that Hamas "renewed its forces" and that the fighting in the Gaza Strip is expected to "continue for years", Israeli news website Ynet reported.
What needs to be done now "is to reach the end of fighting in Rafah and at the same time move forward along the path of a hostage deal, in which we will cease fire for 42 days or double that," Eisenkot was quoted as saying during a session in the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee.
"There is no [trade-off] between releasing prisoners in exchange for ending the war," he further said, noting that negotiating a deal involving captives is crucial from a strategic standpoint. "As we stopped in November for a short break, we stopped for 42 days. And even if we need more than that, it does not mean we will end the fighting," he added.
Read more: Conflicting Israeli reports about restart of captives talks
A poll conducted in April by the Kan public broadcaster and Channel 12 revealed that an astonishing 70% of Israelis wish to see the ousting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and for elections to be held immediately.
