Two days after officially stepping into the Prime Minister's Office, Yair Lapid delivered his first address to the nation Saturday evening.
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The new premier began his speech by thanking his predecessor, Naftali Bennett, "for leading us over the past year to economic and security successes that had not been seen in years." He also praised Bennett for the manner in which he left office, saying, "The citizens of Israel this week saw an orderly transition of power between people who fulfill agreements and know that Israel is bigger than any one of us."
Lapid then went on to lay out his social vision and said he believed people were united over the main issues.
"We need to choose the common good, what connects us. There will always be disagreements, the question is how we control them, and how we make sure they don't control us. Disagreement is not necessarily a bad thing as long as it doesn't undermine the stability of the government and our inner fortitude. As long as we remember we all have one goal: An Israel that is Jewish, democratic, liberal, large, strong, modern, and prosperous.
"We believe that Israel is a Jewish state. Its character is Jewish. Its identity is Jewish. Its relations with its non-Jewish citizens are also Jewish. The book of Leviticus says, 'But the stranger who dwells with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.'"
He continued: "The largest Israeli question is why, in a period of such broad national consensus on the important issues, are the levels of hate within Israeli society so immense?
"The answer is politics. In Israel, the street doesn't inject extremism into politics; just the opposite, politics floods the street with extremism. The political space has become increasingly extreme, violent, and evil, and it is dragging Israeli society along behind it. We need to put an end to this.
"Many people who didn't vote for this government are listening to this speech, many people who don't and won't support it. I thank you for your willingness to listen. I ask to work together with you for the good of our country. I'm committed to serving you as well. I embrace the words of my predecessor, and want to repeat them: we are brothers.
"The challenges before us are immense. The struggle against Iran, terror at home, the Israeli education crisis, the cost of living, and strengthening personal security. When the challenges are so great, we can't let disagreements consume all our strength. In order to create a common good here, we need one another.
Our children are watching us. What do we want them to see? We want our children to see that we did everything to build a Jewish and democratic, strong and advanced, benevolent and good Israel."
On the diplomatic front, Lapid said that once its security is guaranteed, Israel is fundamentally a peace-seeking nation, including with its Palestinian neighbors.
"We believe that so long as Israel's security needs are met, Israel is a peace-seeking country. Israel extends its hand to all the peoples of the Middle East including the Palestinians. The time has come for you [the Palestinians] to recognize we will never move from here. Let's learn to live together.
"We believe the Iranian threat is the primary threat against Israel. We will do what's necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capability or establishing a presence on our borders.
"I stand before you at this moment and say to everyone seeking our demise, from Gaza to Tehran, from the shores of Lebanon to Syria: don't test us. Israel knows how to use its strength against every threat, against every enemy.
"We believe in, and pray for the well-being of our soldiers and police officers, in the air, at sea, and on land. As it's written in the prayer for the well-being of IDF soldiers, 'May the Almighty cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them.' We won't be quiet and won't rest until our sons are returned: Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul of blessed memory, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
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From a broader diplomatic perspective, Lapid said, "The people of Israel won't dwell alone. It is our job to continue to strengthen our position in the world, our relations with our greatest friend and ally, the United States, and to harness the international community in the struggle against antisemitism and the delegitimization of Israel."
"We regard the Abraham Accords as a great blessing to the security and economic situation in the region. As seen from the momentum created at the Negev Summit with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, and Morocco, there will be a great blessing from the agreements in the years to come," he said.
Lapid will embark on his first foreign visit next week when he flies to Paris for a one-day visit.
In a possible swipe at his expected rival, Benjamin Netanyahu, in the upcoming general election, he said: "We believe that it's the job of the government to uphold the law, and the job of the law to uphold the standards of government. The law is what protects us from corruption and violence. A court is what protects the weak from the strong. The law is the basis for our lives together."
On the economic front, Lapid said the Israeli economy "must be based on free-market principles, on the creativity and dynamism of Israeli technology, and that our job is to protect those who have nothing. To provide a fair opportunity for every child, everywhere."
