Following his defeat, Lapid cancels attendance of COP27

After disappointing election results, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid yesterday canceled his attendance of the UN climate conference in Egypt next week, the Times of Israel reported.

“President [Isaac] Herzog will be representing Israel at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh,” Lapid’s office said.

Last month, Lapid agreed to take part in COP27, saying “climate crisis presents us with exceptional opportunities” for the Israeli economy.

He had been scheduled to fly out to the Red Sea resort city on Monday where more than 90 heads of state and government, including US President Joe Biden, are set to converge between 6-18 November.

Initial results put Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid party far behind former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud and its allies.

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