Eisenkot Slams Lapid, Exposes Deep Opposition Rift: ‘We Haven’t Spoken in Months’
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot publicly rebuked Yair Lapid today, rejecting speculation that he is preparing to join a political alliance with Lapid and Naftali Bennett and revealing a significant breakdown in communication between the two camps.
In an interview with Channel 12 News, Eisenkot dismissed Lapid’s recent prediction that he would soon become part of a united opposition bloc, suggesting the comment stemmed more from political pressure than from any real discussions.
“That was a strange statement. I assume it came out of pressure,” Eisenkot said. He noted that he and Lapid have barely spoken in recent months, with only a brief phone conversation taking place during that period.
Eisenkot acknowledged that the two had worked together in the past but said those efforts ultimately failed. Looking ahead, he said his focus is on defeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside a broad coalition of opposition figures, including Lapid, Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, Yair Golan, and others.
The former IDF chief of staff also disclosed that relations between the parties have deteriorated sharply. According to Eisenkot, regular communication ended roughly three months ago following decisions made by Lapid’s camp.
He said he had spent months advocating for a meeting of opposition party leaders to coordinate strategy, establish a common platform, and potentially present what he described as a “shadow cabinet” to the public. However, he claimed other opposition leaders were unwilling to participate.
Eisenkot also poured cold water on growing talk of opposition mergers and joint electoral lists, arguing that such decisions are premature given the uncertainty surrounding the political landscape.
He said party leaders must first determine what new political movements may emerge and when elections will actually take place, adding that the situation should be reassessed regularly with one central question in mind: what is most likely to produce victory.
At the same time, Eisenkot raised eyebrows by refusing to rule out the possibility of sitting with Netanyahu under certain circumstances. When asked whether he would consider joining a Netanyahu-led government rather than sending Israel to another round of elections, he declined to give a direct answer.
Instead, Eisenkot turned his attention to criticizing the prime minister and expressed confidence that Netanyahu’s time in office is nearing its end.
“I’m focused 24 hours a day, six days a week — on Shabbat I rest — in order to defeat Netanyahu,” Eisenkot said. He added that he is convinced Netanyahu will lose the next election and argued that it would be unreasonable for him to remain prime minister after the October 7 attacks and more than two years of war.
The comments underscore growing tensions within Israel’s opposition camp, where leaders remain united in their desire to replace Netanyahu but increasingly divided over how to achieve that goal.
{Matzav.com}
