Yair Lapid
Yair Lapid is an Israeli politician of the centrist Yesh Atid party and a former journalist who has been the Leader of the Opposition since January 2023, having previously served in that role from 2020 to 2021. He had also previously served as the prime minister of Israel from 1 July to 29 December 2022, the second alternate prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett from 2021 to 2022, and also as the Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from 2013 to 2014. He is also the leader of Yesh Atid since the party's founding in 2012.
Standing...
Stories...
Sep 11, 2026
Center
Told the '120 Va'Achat' podcast that this is a hard hour for Yesh Atid after sleepless nights over farewell calls to departing MKs.
Yesh Atid's base sees Lapid as the responsible opposition leader refusing to chase short-term deals with Ra'am while the party bleeds seats.
Sep 11, 2026
Lean Left
The opposition leader and Yesh Atid chairman is trying to position himself as the primary alternative to Netanyahu while managing a fragmented opposition.
Labor and Meretz are frustrated with Lapid for not doing more to unite the anti-Netanyahu camp and for centrist equivocation on issues like judicial reform and the occupation.
Sep 11, 2026
Far Left
Lapid is positioning Yesh Atid as the main centrist alternative to Netanyahu, but faces criticism from the left for offering no real break from the occupation.
Hadash sees Lapid as a status-quo centrist who talks about change but would maintain the occupation and neoliberal policies that hurt Arab and poor Jewish communities.
Sep 10, 2026
Center
As leader of Yesh Atid, he is running in the election and commenting on the coalition crisis, though not directly cited in today's articles.
He stands to gain from Gantz's final collapse if he can consolidate the center, but must also fend off Labor and Meretz splits.
Sep 10, 2026
Lean Left
Opposition leader coordinating protests and proposing alternative governance models.
Lapid is courted by left as possible centrist ally, but criticized for lacking concrete social agenda.
Sep 10, 2026
Far Left
Lapid is sharply attacking the government's handling of the draft crisis, calling for early elections and offering a secular coalition without the ultra-Orthodox parties.
While Lapid opposes the Haredi exemptions, Hadash viewers are wary of his neoliberal economics and his willingness to accept the occupation framework, making him an unreliable ally for left-wing causes.
Sep 9, 2026
Lean Left
Lapid, opposition leader, is rallying protests and proposing a unity alternative to the coalition's judicial and security agenda.
Labor/Meretz see him as the pragmatic center-left standard-bearer, though some worry he is too cautious on Palestinian rights.
Sep 8, 2026
Far Right
Not in the articles, but as opposition leader he will likely capitalize on any government missteps over sanctions and polls.
Seen as a threat who would weaken Israel's stance on settlements if he gains power.
Sep 8, 2026
Center
Lapid's party Yesh Atid submitted its Knesset list, with Elazar Stern resigning and attacking Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana in a heated letter.
For Yesh Atid voters, Lapid is the natural leader of the centrist bloc, and his ability to cement a unified alternative to Netanyahu's collapsing coalition is the central test of this election.
Sep 8, 2026
Lean Left
Yesh Atid leader attacking the government's economic management and proposing alternatives, but struggling to unify opposition.
Labor/Meretz often criticize Lapid for centrist timidity, but appreciate his focus on democratic and economic issues.