Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for unnecessarily extending the war, attributing it to Netanyahu’s political challenges and far-right ambitions to annex the West Bank and reoccupy Gaza. In a post on X, Lapid accused Netanyahu of using the war to avoid court appearances and deflect blame for the October 7 Hamas attacks. Calling for a shift in strategy, Lapid urged a move toward a new regional political framework.