During a heated Knesset debate on Wednesday, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid accused Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu of alienating the Trump Administration and diminishing Israel’s standing with its most critical ally.
“I once told you that you no longer understand the new America. That you’re stuck in the 1980s. You argued with me and said you’re still in the loop. That argument is over. There has never been such a low point in the relationship. Ever,” Lapid said in his opening remarks.
He went on to charge Netanyahu with mishandling diplomatic relationships, saying, “You lost Trump. The Americans made a deal with the Houthis behind your back without your knowledge. The President met with the President of Syria without your knowledge. He renewed ties with Erdoğan — without your knowledge. You can’t tell me the fairy tales you tell Channel 14.”
Highlighting what he portrayed as a moment of public embarrassment for the prime minister, Lapid said, “President Trump brought you to Washington, announced to you that he resumed negotiations with Iran without bothering to inform you, and then sat you down in front of the cameras of the whole world and repeated that announcement.”
He concluded his criticism by referencing a high-profile regional event Israel did not attend: “We missed the most important summit in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia. We could have been there. You missed it because you’re afraid of Smotrich and Ben Gvir. The world saw exactly what’s happening.”
{Matzav.com Israel}