i24 News – Yair Lapid will become the 14th prime minister of the State of Israel at midnight, succeeding his coalition partner Naftali Bennett. The rotation between the two leaders materialized following the dissolution of the 24th Knesset, in accordance with the agreement reached between the two men a year ago when forming the government.
Lapid previously held the post of foreign minister and deputy prime minister. He will continue to assume foreign minister duties.
Aged 58, the self-taught politician wears many hats.
He is the son of Yossef Tommy Lapid, founder of the secular liberal Shinui party and former minister of justice. His own political vocation was born late in life.
Inspired by his writer mother, Shulamit Lapid, he first developed a strong taste for art and writing. Author of several novels and songs – including one for the successful singer Rita – he also writes for television series.
Later becoming a journalist, he gained popularity when he became presenter of the weekly news program “Ulpan Shishi” (Friday Studio) in 2008. But the real turning point in his career took place when he became presenter of the TV news on Channel 2.
Building on this success, he entered politics in 2012 by creating the centrist party Yesh Atid (“There is a future”), which quickly became the second largest party in the country behind Likud. He became finance minister in the Netanyahu government.
Charged in 2021 with forming a government by then president Reuven Rivlin, he finally gave way to Bennett and took up the post of Foreign Affairs minister. Particularly active in his role, he made many trips abroad, notably to the United States, the United Arab Emirates and more recently to Turkey.
One of the most significant successes of his tenure at the head of Israeli diplomacy was to bring together around him the foreign ministers of Bahrain, the UAE, the US and Egypt, during the Negev summit last March.
Married to journalist Lihi Lapid with whom he has two children, he also has another son from a first marriage.
The new interim prime minister has until November 1, the date set for new elections, to convince voters.
Wow. Kiddush Hashem. Me kiamcha Yisroel! Move over Uri Zohar.
It’s sad that some people might have thought you were serious.
Why do the citizens of Israel allow and pay for non-elected politicians to become Prime Ministers? Don’t the people have a say anymore ? Bennett did not have the majority and Lapid certainly not.
URI ZOHAR ZATZA”L FROM TV STAR TO LAMID ZAYIN TZADIK
Lapid = Israel’s Biden