Israel's opposition leader demands Netanyahu's 'immediate' resignation amid the war

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's immediate resignation, stressing the need for prompt political change amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

In an interview with Israeli news channel N12, Lapid stated, "Netanyahu should leave immediately... We need change; Netanyahu cannot remain prime minister."

Expressing concerns about the prime minister's loss of public trust, Lapid saidthat conducting a lengthy campaign under such circumstances is untenable.

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He criticised Israeli leaders for their perceived failure to prevent the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, reported AFP.

Following the attack, Netanyahu and another opposition leader, Benny Gantz, announced an agreement to establish an "emergency government" for the war's duration.

Despite leading Israel's coalition government before Netanyahu's return to power last year, Lapid refrained from calling for the prime minister's resignation until now.

No-confidence vote proposal

Lapid did not advocate for early elections but proposed a no-confidence vote in parliament, aiming to facilitate the formation of a new government within Netanyahu's Likud party.

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He suggested a national reconstruction effort led by another Likud member, stating, "This is not the time to hold elections; we should opt for a national reconstruction with another prime minister from Likud."

In response, Likud rejected the proposal, deeming it inappropriate during a time of war. The party issued a statement on Telegram dismissing Lapid's call for change.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)