Lapid to Get Extra Security and Live without Family in PM’s Residence
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On Tuesday, media reports said that additional security would be provided by the Shin Bet to YairLapid, the Foreign Minister of Israel, as he prepares to become the caretaker prime minister of the country.
Lawmakers’ Approval Required
On Monday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid announced that they would move to dissolve the struggling government coalition and conduct snap elections. This would make it the fifth round of elections to be held in Israel in three years. The two had signed a power-sharing agreement when they formed the coalition and this involved Lapid taking over the position of interim prime minister.
However, it should be noted that the arrangement is not finalized as yet, since the dispersal of the Knesset has to be approved by the lawmakers in the next couple of days. Theoretically, it is possible that another MK could set up an alternative government in the existing Knesset.
Lapid to Leave Family Behind
Media reports indicated that once Lapid becomes premier, he will move into the Prime Minister’s Residence, which is located on Balfour Street in Jerusalem. However, he has no intention of taking his family along, as they will continue living in Tel Aviv.
This is possible because Lapid will move for a short time period. He will only hold the position of prime minister until the next elections in the country are held and a government is formed after. The elections are likely to be held in October unless Lapid is once more able to put together a coalition and form an alternative government.
The polls conducted on Tuesday showed that the Likud party was likely to get the most votes, but they also predicted that opposition and Likud party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu would have trouble in finding partners to form a government.
Bennett Did Not Move
Even though Naftali Bennett has been in power for about a year, he and his family did not make the move to the Prime Minister’s Residence. Instead, they continued to reside in Ra’anana, which the neighbors did not appreciate.
Initially, the premier had defended his decision of not moving by claiming that this allowed his children to continue attending their school. However, later on, Bennett called it necessary because the Jerusalem residence needed renovations. The Shin Bet security service had confirmed in April that the security systems of the residence did have to undergo some long-required renovations.
No one has lived in the residence since former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had moved out after staying there for 12 years.
In other news, reports also indicated that Lapid does not intend to change the Military Secretary, Cabinet Secretary and chairman of the National Security Council. This means that Avi Gil, Shalom Shlomo and EyalHulatawill retain their positions, all of whom had been selected by Bennett.
Yair Pines, the Director of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced earlier in the day that he would be leaving his post. Lapid intends to bring Roy Konkol and YairZivan, his spokesman and political adviser, respectively, to the PMO.
