“The Israeli public's willingness to enlist, the warm embrace for the soldiers and the residents of the south, and the desire to contribute and to give at any given moment really warm the heart, and it gives all of us strength.”

Israeli politician and former journalist, born 1963

Yair Lapid is an Israeli politician and former journalist. Born in 1963, he has led the centrist Yesh Atid party since its founding in 2012. He has also served as Israel’s prime minister and held several senior cabinet posts. Lapid has been Leader of the Opposition since January 2023, a role he also held from 2020 to 2021. His government service includes time as Minister of Finance under Benjamin Netanyahu and as foreign minister, and his public profile is shaped by both journalism and politics.