Lapid: "Promote a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia - but prevent uranium enrichment on its soil"

Opposition leader and number two in the "Yahad" party, Yair Lapid, presented the party's primary foreign policy goals for a future government at a special conference. Lapid stated that "the political crisis was created not only by circumstances, but also by the negligence, arrogance, and amateurism of the current Israeli government."

"We must not give up on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Israel and the USA; we must fight for it. This concession is a grave mistake by Benjamin Netanyahu."

He presented six goals for repairing Israel's foreign relations. A central priority is restoring ties with the United States to regain the bipartisan support Israel enjoyed until recent years.

Simultaneously, Lapid argued for a shift in relations with Europe: rebuilding ties with the European Union, deepening cooperation with NATO, and engaging with public opinion in countries like Spain, France, and Ireland.

Lapid added that there must be a "restoration of relations with the Diaspora. World Jewry is our family; it is a strategic and political asset that we must protect."

Regarding the Middle East, he emphasized that Israel must strengthen its regional integration:

"Key countries are Egypt and the UAE, and an agreement with Saudi Arabia is certainly a central goal for the coming years. We can and should promote a peace agreement, but there is one caveat: Israel must prevent, at all costs, uranium enrichment on Saudi soil. We must also declare Qatar a hostile state and address the challenge of Turkey. We need to see if it is possible to lower the flames, as this confrontation does not serve our interests."

He also called for a more effective connection between the economy and foreign policy, ensuring that Israel's economic interests and diplomatic activities reinforce one another.

Concluding his remarks on public diplomacy, he stated: "We must ensure that our voice in the world is skilled, understands the spirit of the time, and is professional on social media. We need much more of Noa Tishby and much less of Orit Strock."