Yair Lapid
Yair Lapid (, Transliterated: , ; born 5 November 1963) is an Israeli politician and former journalist serving as the Alternate Prime Minister of Israel and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2021. Lapid also serves as the chairman of the Yesh Atid, having previously served as Leader of the Opposition from 2020 to 2021 and as Minister of Finance from 2013 to 2014. Before entering politics in 2012, Lapid was an author, TV presenter and news anchor. The centrist Yesh Atid party, which he founded, became the second-largest party in the Knesset by winning 19 seats in its first legislative  election in 2013. The greater-than-anticipated results contributed to Lapid's reputation as a leading centrist. From 2013 to 2014, following his coalition agreement with Likud, Lapid served as Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In 2013, Lapid ranked first on the list of the "Most Influential Jews in the World" by "The Jerusalem Post". He was also recognized in 2013 as one of the leading Foreign Policy Global Thinkers, and ranked as one of "Time" magazine's 100 "Most Influential People in the World". He serves on the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and the  Sub-Committee on Intelligence and the Security Services. On 17 May 2020, Lapid became the Leader of the Opposition, after the thirty-fifth government of Israel was sworn in. On 5 May 2021, he began talks with other parties to try to form a coalition government. On 2 June 2021, Lapid informed Israeli President Reuven Rivlin that he had agreed to a rotation government with Naftali Bennett and was prepared to replace the incumbent prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. The new government was sworn in on 13 June 2021. Personal life and background. Lapid was born in Tel Aviv, the son  of journalist and politician Yosef "Tommy" Lapid, who also served as Justice Minister, and novelist and playwright Shulamit (Giladi) Lapid. His father was born in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) to Hungarian-Jewish parents, and his maternal grandfather was an Ashkenazi Jew from Transylvania, Romania. He has a sister, Merav, who is a clinical psychologist. Another sister, Michal, died in a car accident in 1984. Both of his grandmothers were alive when his parents moved to Israel. His great-grandmother Hermione Lampel was arrested in Serbia and sent to Auschwitz, where she was murdered in a gas chamber. Lapid grew  up in Tel Aviv and London. His childhood home in Tel Aviv was in the Yad Eliyahu neighborhood, in a residential building known as the Journalists' Residence, as several prominent journalists lived there. He attended high school at the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium, but struggled with learning disabilities and dropped out without earning a bagrut certificate. He began his mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces in the 500th Brigade of the Armored Corps. During the 1982 Lebanon War, Lapid suffered an asthma attack after inhaling dust kicked up by a helicopter, and was pulled from the Corps. He then  served as a military correspondent for the IDF's weekly newspaper, "Bamahane" ("In the base camp"). After completing his military service, he began working as a reporter for "Maariv" and published poetry in literary journals. He also had a career as an amateur boxer. In the mid-1980s, Lapid married Tamar Friedman. They later divorced, and he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked in the television industry. He later returned to Israel, where he resumed his journalism career. He is married to journalist Lihi Lapid, and lives in the Ramat Aviv Gimel neighborhood of Tel Aviv. He and his wife  have two children, and he has another son, Yoav (born 1987), from his first marriage. He attends the Daniels Centers for Progressive Judaism, a Reform synagogue in Tel Aviv. Journalism and media career. In 1988, at age 25, Lapid was appointed editor of "Yedioth Tel Aviv", a local newspaper published by the "Yedioth Ahronoth" group. In 1991, he began writing a weekly column in a nationwide newspaper's weekend supplement—first for "Maariv", and later for its competitor, "Yedioth Ahronoth". His column's name, "Where's the Money?", became his political slogan decades later. In 1994, Lapid started on TV , hosting the leading Friday evening talk show on Israel TV's Channel 1. That same year, he had an acting role in an Israeli film, "Trip to Sudan". He next hosted a talk show on TV Channel 3. From 1999 to 2012, Lapid hosted a current affairs talk show on Channel 2. From 1989 to 2010, Lapid wrote and published several books, spanning a variety of genres. His first was a thriller, of which he has published three more; the others include two children's books, two novels, and a collection of his newspaper columns. In addition, he wrote a  drama series, "War Room", that aired on Channel 2 in 2004. In January 2008, Lapid was the host of "Ulpan Shishi" ("Friday Studio"), Channel 2's Friday night news magazine. That year, the Cameri Theater performed his first play, "The Right Age for Love". In January 2012, controversy arose after Lapid was admitted by Bar-Ilan University into a doctorate program, studying towards a PhD in hermeneutics. This was in violation of rules stating that all doctoral candidates must hold at minimum a bachelor's degree. Lapid, who had failed to complete high school, was admitted to the university based  on his extra-academic credentials and career in journalism and writing. After the Knesset Education Committee launched an investigation, the Council for Higher Education canceled the program under which Lapid was admitted, which had allowed students without a BA to study towards a doctorate. In September 2013, the Israeli edition of "Forbes" magazine estimated Lapid's net worth at 22 million shekels. Political career. On 8 January 2012 Lapid announced that he would be leaving journalism in order to enter politics. On 30 April he formally registered his party, "Yesh Atid" (, "lit.", "There's a Future"). The move was timed  to coincide with the general expectation in Israel for early elections to be held in the early fall of 2012. A few days after Yesh Atid's registration, in a surprise move, Benjamin Netanyahu formed a national unity government. It was then thought that Lapid's party would have to wait until late 2013 before it could participate in national elections. But in October 2012, following the departure of Kadima from Netanyahu's coalition over how to implement a Supreme Court decision ending the exemption from the military draft for the ultra-Orthodox, Netanyahu announced that elections would take place  in late January 2013, affording Yesh Atid its first opportunity to run. In November 2012, Yesh Atid was polling an average of 11.6%, or 13–14 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. The results of the January election showed the party winning an unexpected 19 seats, making Yesh Atid the second-largest party in the 19th Knesset. Lapid was named Israel's finance minister on 15 March 2013. Only nine months later, a survey was published showing a continuing trend of decreasing popularity, with 75% of those polled claiming to be disappointed by his performance, and his party achieved only 10  seats in the Knesset, as opposed to the 19 it got at the beginning of the year. On 2 December 2014, Netanyahu fired Lapid as finance minister. Yesh Atid. In 2016, Lapid presented his platform, the "Seven Point Plan for Israel", which includes a robust security doctrine, a regional conference with Arab states based on the necessity of separating from the Palestinians, reforms of the political system to clean up corruption, the State of Israel that strikes a balance between its Jewish and democratic character, a strengthened law enforcement system, an economy propelled forward by innovation, and increased emphasis on  education and science. Under Lapid, Yesh Atid claims to spearhead the fight against corruption in Israel. The "Nachshon Plan", unveiled in 2017, stipulates that any person found guilty of corruption will be banned from serving in public office. To prevent political bribery, it also abolishes "coalition funds". Mandate to form a government. On 5 May 2021, Lapid was entrusted with the second mandate to form a new government, after the incumbent Netanyahu failed to do so with the first mandate. On 9 May 2021, it was reported that Lapid and Bennett had made major headway in the coalition talks. However , on 10 May, coalition talks seemed to be jeopardized as the Ra’am party announced it was suspending coalition talks, due to escalation in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. On 13 May his path to being Prime Minister was further complicated when Naftali Bennett reportedly decided against joining a Lapid government due to the ongoing military conflict with Gaza. On 30 May 2021, Bennett announced in a televised address that Yamina would indeed join a unity government with Lapid after all but one Yamina MK agreed to back this decision. On 2 June 2021, following negotiations with Lapid and Bennett, Ra'am leader  Mansour Abbas officially signed a coalition agreement with Lapid and agreed to allow his party to join. Views and opinions. Lapid has said that he would demand a resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. His party's 2013 platform calls for an outline of "two states for two peoples", while maintaining the large Israeli settlement blocs, a united Jerusalem, and ensuring Israel's safety. In January 2013, just days before the election, Lapid said he would not join a cabinet that stalled peace talks with the Palestinian Authority, and added that a single country for both Israelis  and Palestinians without a peace agreement would endanger Israel's Jewish character. He said, "We're not looking for a happy marriage with the Palestinians, but for a divorce agreement we can live with." As part of a future peace agreement, Lapid said Palestinians would have to recognize that the large West Bank settlement blocs of Ariel, Gush Etzion and Ma'aleh Adumim would remain within the State of Israel. According to Lapid, only granting Palestinians their own state could end the conflict and Jews and Arabs should live apart in two states, while Jerusalem should remain undivided under Israeli rule . He is enthusiastic about annexing the Golan Heights, and has also declared that he is guided by a principle of "maximum Jews on maximum land with maximum security and with minimum Palestinians." Of the diplomatic stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, Lapid said, "Most of the blame belongs to the Palestinian side, and I am not sure that they as a people are ready to make peace with us." He has also dismissed the possibility of a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians as unrealistic. In June 2015, after the March 2015 elections, Lapid visited the United States, and  after an hour-long interview, American journalist Jeffrey Goldberg wrote, "Lapid is a leader of the great mass of disillusioned centrists in Israeli politics. He could conceivably be prime minister one day, assuming Benjamin Netanyahu, in whose previous cabinet he served, ever stops being prime minister. Now functioning as a kind of shadow foreign minister, Lapid argues that Israel must seize the diplomatic initiative with the Palestinians if it is to continue existing as a Jewish-majority democracy, and he is proposing a regional summit somewhat along the lines of the earlier Arab Peace Initiative. Lapid is not a left -winger—he has a particular sort of contempt for the Israeli left, born of the belief that leftists do not recognize the nature of the region in which they live. But he is also for territorial compromise as a political and moral necessity, and he sees Netanyahu leading Israel inexorably toward the abyss." In September 2015, Lapid laid out his diplomatic vision in a major speech at Bar Ilan University in which he said, "Israel's strategic goal needs to be a regional agreement that will lead to full and normal relations with the Arab world and the creation of  a demilitarized independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. That's where Israel needs to head. Separation from the Palestinians with strict security measures will save the Jewish character of the state." Lapid supports recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. He noted in 2017 that with Iran attempting to establish a foothold in Syria, Israel cannot be expected to relinquish the Golan Heights. Religion and state. In 2013, when Yesh Atid sat in the government, Lapid pushed for increased public transportation on Shabbat, as opposed to the current law that mandates most public transportation shut down. Additionally, Lapid strongly  supports instituting a civil marriage track in Israel. Currently, marriage and divorce for Jews are controlled by the Chief Rabbinate. The Chief Rabbinate will not officiate marriages between Jews and non-Jews, and some Israelis from the Soviet Union—who are not Jewish according to Jewish law—cannot marry in Israel. Although Israel recognizes civil marriages that are performed abroad, there is no mechanism for performing civil marriage in Israel. In 2015, under Lapid's leadership, Yesh Atid championed a bill to institute civil marriage, but the bill was defeated in the Knesset, with 50 votes against and 39 in  favor. Israel-diaspora relations. When Netanyahu walked back his promise to Diaspora Jews in 2017 to expand prayer at the Western Wall, Lapid slammed the decision, saying that the Israeli government alienated "senators, congressmen, the majority of the pro-Israel lobby, major donors, the people we turn to when we need help ensuring that Israel will get advanced weapons, that the military assistance will increase, that there will be sanctions on Iran". He implored American Jews to "not give up on us. We have no intention of giving up on you. We are one people. It might take time. It  might take elections. But in a democracy, the majority decides, and the majority in Israel want us to be one nation." Lapid asserts that it is Israel's responsibility to recognize all streams of Judaism, including streams which don't follow Orthodox Jewish Law. Lapid is a leading proponent of a deep bipartisan US-Israel relationship. He has upbraided Netanyahu for alienating American Democrats: "The fact that the [Israeli] government completely identifies with the conservative, evangelical faction of the Republican party is dangerous." When Jewish Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch's request to attend the embassy opening in Jerusalem was ignored , Lapid said, "There's no way the government of Israel didn't notice this. It's the job of the Prime Minister's office to look at the list and say: We are nonpartisan and are not just attached to Republicans." Haredim. During the 2013 election campaign, Lapid spoke of "equal shares of the burden" for all Israeli citizens. He said he would work to see all Israeli citizens, including the thousands of Haredim, who had up until that point been exempt from most civil service, be included in military and civil service. On 27 May 2013, Lapid threatened to  topple the government unless ultra-Orthodox would be subject to criminal sanctions for draft-dodging. In the view of some Haredim, Lapid's plan represents a "spiritual holocaust", as they believe that their Jewish studies are what upholds Israel. Some Haredim have declared that even at the risk of being criminals, they will continue in their Jewish studies and refuse to enlist or perform civilian service. Lapid denied that he was seeking to destroy the Haredi way of life, saying: "Not one of us wishes, Heaven forbid, to force hiloniyut [secularism] on you or to impose our version of Israeli  identity. This state was established so that Jews could be Jews, and live as Jews, without having to fear anyone." Defending Israel against bias. Lapid is a vocal opponent of the BDS movement, which seeks to economically isolate Israel. He has said, "We can no longer abandon this battle to the haters of Israel. We need to defend Israel's good name in the world. They are besmirching us, and the time has come to answer them." Lapid has also helped college students in America oppose BDS. Lapid has spoken out vehemently about alleged United Nations bias against Israel. In  an op-ed, he excoriated the United Nations Human Rights Council for voting for "61 resolutions condemning human rights abuses across the world, and 67 resolutions which condemned Israel" in the past decade and having its own agenda item on Israel. Lapid blames UNESCO for "erasing Jewish history". Lapid traces the UN's alleged bias against Israel to the creation of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) in 1950, which services only Palestinian refugees and gives them hereditary status so that the number of refugees has expanded from approximately 750,000 to five million. Amendment to the  Act on the Institute of National Remembrance. Lapid, whose father was a Holocaust survivor, spoke out against Poland's controversial Holocaust bill, which would criminalize accusing the Polish nation of being complicit in the Holocaust. Lapid said: "No Polish law will change history. Poland was complicit in the Holocaust. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were murdered on its soil without them having met any German officer." He added that his "grandmother was murdered in Poland by Germans and Poles". Lapid also wrote that there were "Polish death camps". The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum stated that Lapid's claims about  alleged Polish cooperation in the Holocaust were a "conscious lie" and that Lapid was "using Holocaust as a political game" that mocked the victims, also likening his allegation to the claims made by Holocaust deniers. In February 2018, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that "there were Jewish perpetrators" of the Holocaust, "not only German perpetrators". Lapid condemned Morawiecki's words, saying: "The perpetrators are not the victims. The Jewish state will not allow the murdered to be blamed for their own murder." Lapid's book "Memories After My Death" chronicles his father's life and observations as Israel evolved  over its first sixty years. Social media. Since the beginning of the 33rd Government, Lapid has written posts on Facebook that have been quite similar. There was a discrepancy between the posts and "Yesh Atid"'s work in the Knesset. The "Lapidomator" Facebook status generator of a unique text was written by a team of Israeli programmers in July 2013. It has generated new Lapid statuses of every word, and Mako demonstrated three different statuses generated from the words "Lapidomator", "Yair Lapid", and "Bullshit". Rosenstein, one of the Lapidomator programmers, said: "We have noticed that the Yesh Atid party spends  a lot of time on Facebook, instead of engaging in parliamentary activities. Their posts do not say anything. They are full of beautiful text and very little substance. A bit like Yair Lapid. So we decided to shorten the waiting time for Yair Lapid's new posts and simply build a site which produces them itself." The Lapidomator was covered widely in the media, and continued to be active after Lapid ceased to be Finance Minister. On 7 November 2018, MK Tamar Zandberg complained about the empty seats of Lapid and Ofer Shelah, who were absent during the vote on  public transportation on Saturdays, and the Lapidomator generated an adequate status. As of 10 November 2018, Lapidomator has generated 322,526 posts. Awards and recognition. In April 2013, Lapid appeared on "Time" magazine's list of "100 Most Influential People in the World 2013" in the category Leaders. The following month, he ranked first on the list of the "Most Influential Jews in the World" by "The Jerusalem Post". He also was listed as one of the "Foreign Policy Global Thinkers 2013".