Lapid blames Netanyahu of stoking fear ahead of election

Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid party, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using fear-mongering to influence the electorate after the prime minister warned that adversaries could launch attacks before the October 7 election. Lapid rejected the warning, requested an urgent security briefing and affirmed that the election would occur on time without causing public alarm. Netanyahu shared a video from a fighter-jet base, claiming vague signs of impending attacks from unnamed enemies, and has recently cautioned Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Palestinian Authority about possible retaliation.

Lapid criticized the use of military installations as campaign props and reminded that Netanyahu ignored warnings before the Oct 7 Hamas assault that sparked the Gaza war, which has killed over 76,000 Palestinians. He stressed that security concerns must be handled professionally and responsibly. Both leaders said they continue regular security briefings ahead of the vote.