Israel ‘on the path to disaster’? Opposition leader Lapid warns against political violence amid internal disagreements

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid warned against the rising danger of political violence in the country amid profound disagreements in Israeli society.

In a press conference he convened on Sunday, Lapid cited "clear and unequivocal" Israeli intelligence and warned that the country was on a path toward another disaster, pointing to “unprecedented” levels of “incitement and madness,” which he primarily blamed on government supporters.

“There will be a political assassination. Jews will kill Jews,” he said, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party of fueling incitement that could lead to such an outcome.

שבועיים לפני מחדל השבעה באוקטובר עשיתי מסיבת עתונאים ובה הזהרתי שאנחנו בדרך למלחמה ולאסון בטחוני. הממשלה סירבה להקשיב. אני רוצה עכשיו להזהיר שוב, גם הפעם על בסיס מידע מודיעיני חד משמעי: אנחנו בדרך לאסון נוסף.

הפעם זה יבוא מבפנים. רמות ההסתה והטירוף הן חסרות תקדים. הקו האדום… pic.twitter.com/iF8Oc6qbmn

— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) April 20, 2025

In response, the Likud issued a statement noting, “Lapid hasn’t spoken out against the wild and dangerous incitement directed at the Prime Minister for years and has even taken an active part in it.”

“When cries of ‘traitor’ and countless death threats are made against the Prime Minister – he remains silent. The lower his numbers are in the polls, the greater Lapid’s incitement becomes.”

In a press conference, Lapid mainly highlighted online incitement targeting Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, both of whom the government is seeking to dismiss.

“Two weeks before the October 7 disaster, I held a press conference warning that we were headed for war and a security catastrophe,” Lapid began.

“We are heading toward another disaster – and this time it will come from within. The levels of incitement and madness are unprecedented. The red line has been crossed,” he said, pointing to intelligence information he had received.

As leader of the Yesh Atid party, Lapid is privy to certain classified information and regularly receives security updates from the prime minister. However, he declined to specify on what intelligence he was basing his warnings.

Regarding the incitement against Bar, Lapid acknowledged, “He should have resigned from his position after October 7. The government has the right to dismiss him, as long as it’s done via a proper legal process approved by the courts, and in a way that doesn’t interfere with the Qatar-Gate investigation.”

“Ronen Bar failed, but he is a patriotic Israeli and a fighter who dedicated his life to Israel’s security… A large portion of the operational successes during the war came from the Shin Bet, along with other security forces. And yet, the majority of threats against the head of Israel’s Shin Bet are not from Arabs, not from Hamas or Hezbollah – but from Jews.”

Lapid went on to read out several comments posted online, many of which called for the execution of Bar as a traitor, for which he blamed the Likud.

“These things are not said in a vacuum. The inspiration comes from above. Directly from the leadership. Israel’s ruling party, Likud, issued an official statement saying, ‘Ronen Bar is turning parts of the Shin Bet into a private militia of the deep state.’ Such a statement has consequences. They know exactly what that kind of rhetoric does to some of their supporters.”

He further quoted Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Netanyahu’s son Yair, who accused Bar of trying to stage a “coup.”

“Similar things were said by ministers and senior coalition figures about Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, and they too were immediately followed by completely insane threats online,” Lapid continued.

“The Attorney General and Ronen Bar now walk around with heavy security. Not because of Islamic terror threats, not because of the war – but because of the incitement.”

“All that security won’t help if this incitement continues,” Lapid warned.

“There will be a political assassination. We are heading into a dark and dangerous place. The greatest disaster in our history was brought upon us by Hamas. The next disaster will be brought upon us by this insane incitement.”