Yair Lapid

Liberating Israel's Economy Daniel Doron, Weekly Standard. Israel’s alliance between government and big business has long benefited a select few at the expense of the middle class.  The current government has a chance to break the monopolies.

Torah in the Knesset Dov Lipman, Jewish Press. "Yesh Atid is trying to bring about an environment where mentioning God or our classic sources doesn’t mean that the next step is we’re forcing religion on you." (Interview by Elliot Resnick)

Bad Day for Bibi? David Horovitz, Times of Israel. "For all that this is not the government he would have chosen, it still finds Netanyahu where he wanted to be: at the center of a coalition that runs from Jewish Home to his right to Hatnua at the center-left."

Meet the New Politics, Same as the Old Politics Lahav Harkov, Jerusalem Post. "So this is new politics: Not using loaded words, like ultimatum and boycott, but doing exactly what they entail, while covering it up by talking about values.  Lapid played us all."

The Ambassador from Beit Shemesh Jodi Rudoren, New York Times. One new Knesset member from the Yesh Atid party, which seeks increased haredi contributions to Israeli society, is himself an Orthodox rabbi.  Can he help bridge Israel's religious divides?

Behind Lapid's Mask Jameel Muqata, Jewish Journal. Yesh Atid says it defends a united Jerusalem and the settlements.  But Yair Lapid is on record supporting a divided Jerusalem and pledging to fight against "our extremists, the settlers."

Fischer Pays the Price Dror Marmor, Globes. As Netanyahu’s government tried to reduce housing prices, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer moved to prop them up.  His recent resignation is no surprise.

A Piecemeal Peace Shlomo Avineri, Foreign Affairs. Post-election, an Israeli-Palestinian peace is no less remote.  Perhaps we should look to places like Cyprus, Bosnia, and Kosovo for ideas that are less ambitious—and more feasible.

Israel's Approaching Austerity Avi Temkin, Globes. Yesh Atid's opposition to raising taxes on the middle class presages cuts to welfare, public sector salaries—and the defense budget. 

Bibi's Lucky Break Haviv Rettig Gur, Times of Israel. Yesterday's elections weakened the Likud at the expense of Yesh Atid.  But Netanyahu has still come out on top.