Israel: Lapid accuses Netanyahu government of losing control over security

Following settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid slammed the coalition government on Monday and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “losing control” over Israel’s security.

“What happened [on Sunday] is complete anarchy,” Lapid told his party, Yesh Atid, referring to the settler violence at the Palestinian village of Huwara. “This anarchy is created because in this government, everyone has their own policy.”

Lapid said that far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has one policy, Bezalel Smotrich, the political arm of the radical settler hilltop youth, has a second policy as an independent minister in the Defence Ministry, while Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has a third policy. “And Netanyahu is weak and unable to put them in their place.”

He pointed out the deep disagreements between Netanyahu’s Likud and his far-right partners on how to handle West Bank policy.

“Two months after the establishment of a full-on right-wing government, the scope of attacks is increasing, terrorists are raising their heads and the army is confused and does not understand its chain of command,” Lapid was reported as saying.

According to the Times of Israel, he added: “Netanyahu and Likud formed a government with people walking in [far-right] marches, singing, ‘Burn their villages’. So now these people have burned a village.”

READ: Israel sees ‘difficult days ahead’ after West Bank attacks, riot