In the aftermath of the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Benjamin Netanyahu, then opposition leader, waged a political battle against his predecessor, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Netanyahu was deft at maneuvering between the places where he must be seen standing at the front and the places he must not enter. He knew, for example, not to be seen at the 2006 reservists' demonstrations against the Olmert administration, as Netanyahu's perceived involvement would have turned it completely political. Instead, he secretly sent his then-chief of staff, Naftali Bennett, and avoided getting his fingerprints on the matter.
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid has been duplicating Netanyahu's style as opposition leader since the previous election. He was even quite successful at this – until the police announced he was a witness in Case 1,000. Israel Police had announced Tuesday that there was sufficient evidence to indict Netanyahu for gifts he and his wife, Sara, are said to have received from the billionaire businessmen Arnon Milchan and James Packer.
Ever since the police announcement, Lapid has not only gotten his fingerprints all over, he has done a somersault straight into the deep waters of the Netanyahu investigation. Not only does this contaminate the investigation, which Netanyahu claims stinks of politics, this turns Lapid into the main contaminant.
At this stage, it is unclear if Lapid offered testimony out of eagerness to topple Netanyahu, or if maybe the police entrapped him. Like every civilian summoned to tell the truth, he was required to arrive at the interrogation. There is no serious dispute that Lapid is an honest man. Some Likud leaders have claimed Lapid gave false testimony when he realized that he was liable to get himself mired in the dealings of his friend, Milchan, and therefore dropped the case on Netanyahu as though he was the one who reported him to the police, but these claims are false and best not repeated.
Lapid is smart and experienced. He knows, or at least he should know, that his testimony on this matter cannot hold much legal clout. After all, he is Netanyahu's political rival, one who says over every podium that he wants Netanyahu replaced. Whichever way you spin it, Lapid cannot be a witness, certainly not a key witness. Once the police recommendations were made known, Lapid should have immediately announced that he has no intention of being so, distancing him from the matter.
Lapid even appeared to hint at this when he said that all in all he was questioned for about an hour on the matter. In other words, it appears the police manipulated him. They turned him into a smoking gun the entire Case 1,000 rests on before he even knew what was happening. Not only did Lapid refrain from distancing himself, he deepened his involvement in the case with his response after the recommendations were submitted.
The question will soon be answered if this is indeed Lapid's biggest political blunder in recent years. Lapid focused major efforts to reach audiences that did not support him in the past to successfully position himself, according to polls, in the best spot to contend for the seat of prime minister. These audiences may lend him support, but they are not suckers, nor are they his fans. Their only common denominator is their wish to topple Netanyahu. It is unlikely that they will agree to swallow their feeling of revulsion that goes along with this, however.
