Israel’s main opposition leader calls on Netanyahu to resign

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should resign on Wednesday evening, the first time the opposition has publicly called for his ouster amid the war.

“This government isn’t functioning, we need change, Netanyahu cannot continue to be prime minister, we cannot allow ourselves to conduct a prolonged [military] campaign with a prime minister that the public has no faith in,” Lapid told Israeli Channel 12.

The comments are the most high-profile sign of fissures within Israel over Netanyahu’s continued rule.

A poll earlier this week found less than 4 percent of Israelis said that they trust Netanyahu as a reliable source of information on the war.

“Security-wise and on the society level, we cannot have a premier who has lost the trust of the public,” Lapid said.

Netanyahu formed a unity government with National Unity party leader Benny Gantz after Hamas’ 7 October attack. He sits on the war cabinet with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Gantz and National Unity member Gadi Eisenkot.

Lapid refused to join the government at the time, saying it would only provide cover for Netanyahu’s failed governance.