Under the coalition deal, Lapid would assume the premiership only after a two-year stint at the top by his main coalition ally, nationalist hardliner Naftali Bennett. Yesh Atid had claimed a surprising 19 seats in Israel's 120-member parliament back in 2013 polls, establishing it as a credible force in politics. The party joined the centrist Blue and White alliance formed in 2019 under the leadership of former military chief Benny Gantz. #photo1In an interview with AFP in September, Lapid said Gantz had naively believed that Netanyahu would work collaboratively within the coalition. After exiting Blue and White, Lapid took his seat in parliament as the head of Yesh Atid and leader of the opposition.
