Yair Lapid, Israel’s opposition leader, delivered a blistering attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, before pivoting to a message of national unity should Israel slide into open conflict with Iran.

Speaking from the podium of the Knesset, Lapid said that despite deep political divisions, a war with Tehran would force Israel’s leadership into lockstep.

“If war with Iran comes, all differences of opinion will be put into deep freeze,” Lapid said. “We will stand as one.”

Lapid pledged to reprise his role as a global advocate for Israel, promising to take Israel’s case directly to international audiences.

“As in the previous attack, I will go wherever necessary, from CNN to the British Parliament, and tell them: I am the head of the opposition, Netanyahu and I are rivals — but Iran must be attacked with full force.”

The show of unity came only after a fierce personal and political rebuke of Netanyahu, whom Lapid accused of attempting to rewrite the events of October 7.

“History will only remember you for October 7,” Lapid said. “That’s what scares you so much.”

He argued that Netanyahu’s legacy would be inseparable from what he called years of strategic misjudgments, including allowing Qatari funds to flow into Gaza and pursuing policies that empowered Hamas, often with the tacit backing of Qatar.

“How you didn’t see where the suitcases of money were leading,” Lapid said. “How you didn’t see where the destructive policy of strengthening Hamas was leading.”

Lapid also condemned efforts by Netanyahu’s office to soften language in proposed legislation commemorating October 7, particularly by removing the word “massacre.”

“When babies are burned, when families are murdered, it’s not an event — it’s a massacre,” he said. “Nothing else will define your term more than that.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)