JERUSALEM — Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid issued a sharp statement early Wednesday following a security briefing with Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing the prime minister of leveraging national security threats and military installations for political fear-mongering four weeks ahead of the October 27 general election.The meeting came shortly after Netanyahu released a video filmed at Tel Nof air base warning that Israel’s enemies might attempt to carry out attacks leading up to the vote.Netanyahu, who polls show is in a close race to hold on to power, has issued warnings in recent weeks to Iran, the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah and even the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, vowing retaliation in case of an attack.Israel has kept striking Gaza and Lebanon, and Netanyahu has also stepped up his tone against the leaders of Turkey, Syria and Qatar.Lapid requested the urgent security briefing after Netanyahu alleged a potential attack in the video he made on Tuesday in front of a fighter jet at the base.Lapid, speaking after the late-night meeting with Netanyahu, said he was certain elections will take place on time and that “there is no reason to panic the public.”While pledging to maintain the confidentiality of the security briefing, Lapid forcefully criticized the prime minister’s public messaging strategy.”Security threats are something that must be addressed professionally and responsibly; Israel’s security and IDF bases are not props for election campaign videos,” Lapid stated. “Updates on threats should come from professional bodies, from the IDF, from the Shin Bet, not from the Twitter account of a politician in the midst of an election campaign.”Addressing public anxiety sparked by the government’s announcements, Lapid insisted that state security institutions are equipped to maintain safety throughout the electoral process without disrupting the vote.”Before October 7th, Netanyahu ignored every warning; 28 days before the elections, suddenly he’s busy with fearmongering,” Lapid charged. “Without going into details, the IDF, Shin Bet, and the police are prepared for the elections, and there is no reason to put the public into a panic.”Lapid also connected the security discussion to ongoing debates over military manpower and conscription exemptions, recalling warnings issued by military leadership regarding personnel shortages.”Half a year ago, the Chief of Staff said he was ‘raising 10 red flags’ over a shortage of combatants and burnout in the IDF,” Lapid noted. “If Netanyahu is so worried about the security situation, he should enlist the 15,000 ultra-Orthodox men that the IDF is missing.”Asserting that no security concerns should be utilized as a pretext to delay or alter the democratic process, Lapid emphasized that the scheduled legislative elections will take place on time.”In any case, the elections will take place on time, and no one has an excuse to disrupt them,” Lapid added.To institutionalize security oversight and prevent unilateral political messaging regarding election threats, Lapid formally demanded a joint four-way meeting with key state officials.”I have demanded from the prime minister a quadrilateral meeting, with the head of the Shin Bet—who, by law, is responsible for defending democracy—and with the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, to ensure that everyone is updated and coordinated ahead of the elections,” Lapid said.Lapid, a centrist former prime minister, is one of a number of opposition players in the election, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as Netanyahu’s most formidable rival.Netanyahu’s office said he provided the briefing alongside military leaders to Lapid soon after the opposition leader requested it in response to the prime minister’s remarks.“During the intelligence update, alerts of possible attacks on the various fronts ahead of the elections were presented in detail,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.In his video earlier Tuesday, Netanyahu said: “We have indications that ahead of the elections our enemies will try to attack us.”“I am sending you a message: Don’t mess with us, not now and not ever. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, anytime,” Netanyahu said.Separately, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a video statement threatening leaders of Hamas based outside Gaza, after the military said it had killed a commander in the north of the territory overnight.“Hamas leaders abroad are also in the crosshairs. None of these despicable murderers, who played a central role in the October 7 massacre, should die peacefully in their beds,” Katz said.“Once, they were spared because of a mishap — but the next time will come, and they too will be sent to the depths of hell,” he added, in an apparent reference to an Israeli airstrike against a gathering of top Hamas leaders in Qatar in September 2025.The strike in Doha killed a Qatari security officer and five Hamas members, but none of the group’s top officials.JERUSALEM — Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid issued a sharp statement early Wednesday following a security briefing with Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing the prime minister of leveraging national security threats and military installations for political fear-mongering four weeks ahead of the October 27 general election.The meeting came shortly after Netanyahu released a video filmed at Tel Nof air base warning that Israel’s enemies might attempt to carry out attacks leading up to the vote.Netanyahu, who polls show is in a close race to hold on to power, has issued warnings in recent weeks to Iran, the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah and even the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, vowing retaliation in case of an attack.Israel has kept striking Gaza and Lebanon, and Netanyahu has also stepped up his tone against the leaders of Turkey, Syria and Qatar.Lapid requested the urgent security briefing after Netanyahu alleged a potential attack in the video he made on Tuesday in front of a fighter jet at the base.Lapid, speaking after the late-night meeting with Netanyahu, said he was certain elections will take place on time and that “there is no reason to panic the public.”While pledging to maintain the confidentiality of the security briefing, Lapid forcefully criticized the prime minister’s public messaging strategy.”Security threats are something that must be addressed professionally and responsibly; Israel’s security and IDF bases are not props for election campaign videos,” Lapid stated. “Updates on threats should come from professional bodies, from the IDF, from the Shin Bet, not from the Twitter account of a politician in the midst of an election campaign.”Addressing public anxiety sparked by the government’s announcements, Lapid insisted that state security institutions are equipped to maintain safety throughout the electoral process without disrupting the vote.”Before October 7th, Netanyahu ignored every warning; 28 days before the elections, suddenly he’s busy with fearmongering,” Lapid charged. “Without going into details, the IDF, Shin Bet, and the police are prepared for the elections, and there is no reason to put the public into a panic.”Lapid also connected the security discussion to ongoing debates over military manpower and conscription exemptions, recalling warnings issued by military leadership regarding personnel shortages.”Half a year ago, the Chief of Staff said he was ‘raising 10 red flags’ over a shortage of combatants and burnout in the IDF,” Lapid noted. “If Netanyahu is so worried about the security situation, he should enlist the 15,000 ultra-Orthodox men that the IDF is missing.”Asserting that no security concerns should be utilized as a pretext to delay or alter the democratic process, Lapid emphasized that the scheduled legislative elections will take place on time.”In any case, the elections will take place on time, and no one has an excuse to disrupt them,” Lapid added.To institutionalize security oversight and prevent unilateral political messaging regarding election threats, Lapid formally demanded a joint four-way meeting with key state officials.”I have demanded from the prime minister a quadrilateral meeting, with the head of the Shin Bet—who, by law, is responsible for defending democracy—and with the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Judge Noam Sohlberg, to ensure that everyone is updated and coordinated ahead of the elections,” Lapid said.Lapid, a centrist former prime minister, is one of a number of opposition players in the election, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as Netanyahu’s most formidable rival.Netanyahu’s office said he provided the briefing alongside military leaders to Lapid soon after the opposition leader requested it in response to the prime minister’s remarks.“During the intelligence update, alerts of possible attacks on the various fronts ahead of the elections were presented in detail,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.In his video earlier Tuesday, Netanyahu said: “We have indications that ahead of the elections our enemies will try to attack us.”“I am sending you a message: Don’t mess with us, not now and not ever. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, anytime,” Netanyahu said.Separately, Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a video statement threatening leaders of Hamas based outside Gaza, after the military said it had killed a commander in the north of the territory overnight.“Hamas leaders abroad are also in the crosshairs. None of these despicable murderers, who played a central role in the October 7 massacre, should die peacefully in their beds,” Katz said.“Once, they were spared because of a mishap — but the next time will come, and they too will be sent to the depths of hell,” he added, in an apparent reference to an Israeli airstrike against a gathering of top Hamas leaders in Qatar in September 2025.The strike in Doha killed a Qatari security officer and five Hamas members, but none of the group’s top officials.
Israel's opposition leader accuses Netanyahu of using fear-mongering as campaign prop
