Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) vowed his full commitment to providing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a political safety net to go forward with US President Donald Trump’s peace plan during opening remarks at a Yesh Atid faction meeting on Sunday.
Lapid’s support comes as right-wing ministers of Netanyahu’s coalition, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionist Party), have laid out “red lines” for their respective parties to leave the government in response to the plan.
Lapid’s offer of a safety net thereby allows for the deal to still be implemented regardless of opposition from the right-wing ministers.
Lapid said that he had been in touch with Trump’s team since before the proposal was presented last week in Washington. He also said that Trump’s team had wanted assurance from him that the safety net was real.
“The answer they received was an unequivocal ‘yes,’” Lapid said, adding, “That is also my commitment to the American administration.”
“Over the past two days, I have held a series of conversations with President Trump’s team. They are convinced it [the deal] is possible. They are convinced it must happen.”
“Netanyahu has no political obstacle preventing him from completing the process that President Trump began,” he explained.
“He can agree with me on an election date and, in return, receive protection from his extreme and irresponsible partners.”
Lapid slams Netanyahu for 'stealing credit' for Trump's Gaza plan
Lapid also slammed Netanyahu for trying to “steal credit” for the plan, attributing it fully to Trump’s initiative and efforts.
“Netanyahu, as usual, is trying to steal the credit for it. That’s fine, because it will obligate him and his government, in the eyes of the White House, to implement the deal,” he continued.
During the speech, Lapid underscored the importance of “not letting this opportunity slip away.”
He also expressed that as Israel marks two years since the October 7 Hamas massacre, the deal offers the citizens of Israel “a glimmer of hope.”
“For the first time in two years, there is a real possibility of bringing back all the hostages, of ending the longest war in Israel’s history,” he said.
“It is good for security, good for the economy, [and] good for our international standing. It is good for the soul of a wounded nation that needs, and now will finally be able to begin its process of healing and repair,” he added.
Head of the Blue and White Party, MK Benny Gantz, in Israel’s opposition, also expressed his backing of Trump’s plan. He and Lapid have both offered a political safety net for a hostage deal during Israel’s war with Hamas.
“We will do everything in our power to make it happen and ensure that petty politics do not derail President Trump’s plan,” Gantz stated on Saturday evening. Netanyahu held separate meetings with Ben-Gvir and Smotrich regarding Trump’s proposal on Saturday evening.
Among the points listed in Trump’s plan is the return of all the hostages currently held in Hamas captivity within the time frame of 72 hours, once all sides agree to it. Ahead of the meeting with Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir stated that his party would only leave the government if “after the release of all the hostages, the terrorist organization Hamas remains in existence.”
Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party had already once resigned from the government in January, in a move made in opposition to the hostage deal struck with Hamas. Two months after his registration, Ben-Gvir and his party returned to government after Israel renewed its strikes in the Gaza Strip.
Sources close to Ben-Gvir said that his party has always believed the “correct way” to free the hostages was through “military pressure and a complete halt to humanitarian aid [to Gaza],” Ben-Gvir’s spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday.
However, since the current outline speaks of releasing all the hostages, not just some in a partial deal, Ben-Gvir will not resign from the government at this stage, despite his opposition to the plan. Instead, he places the red line to leave the government only if Israel fails to dismantle Hamas, the sources said, adding this was what Ben-Gvir planned on telling Netanyahu.
Smotrich also did not express immediate plans to leave the government; however, he did slam the proposal, calling it “a grave mistake” on Saturday ahead of his meeting with Netanyahu. Last week, Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party convened a private meeting on Tuesday to discuss its position in regard to the proposal but did not release what conclusions were reached in the meeting.
Smotrich had laid out his “red lines” ahead of Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump in Washington on Monday, signaling that his party may leave the government depending on the outcome announced.
Hostage negotiation talks to implement Trump’s 20-point deal are expected to take place on Monday in Cairo.
The Israeli delegation to engage in the talks is comprised of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Coordinator for Captives and Missing Persons Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, the prime minister’s political adviser, Dr. Ophir Falk, two anonymous officials from the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Mossad, and professional staff from the IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad.