JERUSALEM – “A responsible government” that converges opposing poles towards pragmatic solutions, at the domestic level, as well as in managing the conflict with the Palestinians, in the absence of a diplomatic perspective that does not seem to be looming on the horizon. To talk to Republic, in the first interview with the Italian press, is Yair Lapid, foreign minister and alternate prime minister of the Israeli government that took office six months ago, a “grand coalition” born from the compromise of eight parties at opposite poles to put an end to three years of political crisis after four rounds of elections.
Minister Lapid, what is the point of convergence of such a heterogeneous coalition?
“For years we have gotten used to” labeling “anyone: right, left, secular, ultra-Orthodox, Jews, Arabs. This government puts an end to labels, reviving a common and shared identity, to build a better future together. The common denominator it is the assumption of responsibility. Our coalition presents many and different points of view – just like in the current Italian government – and reaching a consensus is not always easy. But we have already successfully addressed a number of complex issues thanks to discussions considered that allowed us to find solutions to apparently intractable problems: the budget law finally approved after three and a half years, anti-corruption laws, unprecedented measures to bridge social gaps “.
After the tensions in cities with mixed populations in May, does the entry of an Arab party into the coalition for the first time in the country’s history represent a potential turning point for the state’s relationship with its main minority?
“As part of the collaboration – of which I am very proud – with Mansour Abbas and his Ra’am party, we have approved a historic national plan for the development of Arab communities, with billions of shekels dedicated to infrastructure, education, strengthening of occupational integration especially in the high-tech sector. One of the main tests of a democracy is how it relates to minorities: Israel invests in all its citizens to promote full civic equality. And this not only in the name of the values in which we believe, but because we are aware that it is not possible to fully realize the potential inherent in Israeli society without the participation of all its components, including the Israeli Arabs. “
Despite your government’s recent openings to the Palestinian Authority, Prime Minister Bennett reiterated that the resumption of peace negotiations with the Palestinians “is not realistic” and that he does not intend to meet Abu Mazen. According to the rotation agreement, on 27 August 2023 you will take over from Bennett as premier: will there be a change along this line?
“Even if we don’t wake up in the morning to find that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is over, we can wake up and work hard to improve the lives of Israelis and Palestinians. We are already taking tangible steps to improve the economy, infrastructure, quality of life. Palestinian life. I have worked out a comprehensive plan for the Gaza Strip, “Economy for Security”, and I am grateful for the positive feedback and support I have received from my Italian counterparts. The plan provides a horizon for millions of Palestinians in the Strip of Gaza and Israelis in neighboring communities, whose willingness to lead a normal life is constantly threatened by Hamas terrorism. The first phase of the plan concerns the humanitarian rehabilitation of Gaza – repair of electricity, water, housing and health infrastructures – in exchange of a long-term truce by Hamas and the commitment of the international community to stop it from acquiring build new weapons to target Israeli civilians. The second phase involves drastic changes in the lives of the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, including the construction of a port, more international investment and a direct connection between the West Bank and Gaza. Of course, we will never give up on bringing our hostage soldiers and civilians home and this is a commitment that must be part of any plan. At all stages, the path is defined by a set of pre-established parameters, and any violation by Hamas will block or reverse it. The burden of proof will always be on Hamas. As the progress in the region in the last year since the signing of the Abrahamic Accords shows, when we put people ahead of politics, we can make progress that benefits the whole area. And in this wake, I am confident that such progress will lead to real change at the multilateral level as well. In this sense, we believe that democracies like Italy must oppose the endless defamatory resolutions against Israel at the UN and instead use their moral weight and their vote to stand on Israel’s side and repel the targeted attacks against us. “
The Abrahamic Agreements proved to be a game changer in regional structures, but what seemed like a trail of adhesions has remained stuck in 2020. Will your government bring home new normalizations?
“Over the past year, we have seen a new reality emerge in the Middle East. The diplomatic, economic, security, cultural and interpersonal relationships created by the normalization agreements have led to greater cooperation, prosperity and stability across the region. Not a day goes by without whether there is the announcement of a new cooperation initiative or a historic official visit. A cooperation that has also borne fruit on Italian soil: the Israeli and Moroccan embassies in Rome met a few weeks ago to celebrate Hanukkah, and Ram Ben-Barak, chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign and Defense Commission, represented Israel in the MED Dialogue in Rome, which was home to several Middle Eastern counterparts. This is a breakthrough we see not only with new allies, but also with our historic regional partners. Egypt and Jordan. Many other countries face the same challenges as ours, which, especially in the Middle East, know no national borders: the pandemic, the cam Climate change and Iranian-led international terrorism are common threats to many. Many states, in our region and beyond, see the future perspective that I have spoken about several times: those who collaborate will lead, those who continue to isolate themselves will be left behind. So I am optimistic that more and more countries will join the circle of peace. Our hand is stretched out for peace “.
What should the JCPOA nuclear deal include in order for Israel to feel its interests secured and to set aside the military option which, as you repeat, “is on the table”?
“Iran poses a global threat and the whole world can and must act with determination to stop Iran’s nuclear program and malicious activities. The formula is simple: tougher sanctions, tougher supervision, and to conduct any talks with Tehran. from a position of strength. A credible military option must be on the table. If the Iranians act in the belief that the world does not really intend to stop them, they will continue in their race to the bomb. Italy and the EU as a whole are part of the “moral majority”: those countries that must make it clear that they will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. This is exactly the message I shared with Foreign Minister Di Maio in Rome in what had been the my first mission as foreign minister. Italy has a leading role to play in various international fora in affirming regional stability in the Middle East. That said, Israel does not ask give no one to guarantee their safety: we are responsible for the safety of our citizens. We know that we are not alone in our battle to prevent Iran from acquiring the nuclear weapon, but Israel is aware of the need to always defend itself, with its own means “.
There is an increase in Chinese investments in Israeli infrastructures and technologies: how does Israel evaluate this partnership, even with respect to US pressure on this?
“In the field of foreign investments, in recent years we have consolidated a path, very similar to that of other countries, to strengthen impartial supervision of national infrastructures and strategic assets to protect our national security. The US is the greatest ally Israel: an indissoluble alliance based on shared interests and values and strong ties between our peoples. This relationship is a cornerstone of Israel’s foreign policy and regional stability. China is an important economic partner for Israel, and we will continue to welcome investors and tourists from all our partners around the world “.
The world looks to Israel as a laboratory of effectiveness in the fight against Covid: you recently implemented the Omega exercise, which prepared the Omicron scenario. How are you organizing to fight the pandemic in 2022?
“In mid-November we held the national exercise we had called” Omega “, a war game aimed at simulating the response to a future lethal variant of Covid resistant to vaccines. This is because even after successfully managing the Delta wave, Under the skillful leadership of Premier Bennett and our excellent public health professionals, by managing to keep the economy and the school system open, we have learned that consistent planning and timeliness are key. Indeed, the Omega exercise helped formulate the our response to the Omicron wave that unfolded only a few weeks later. Looking forward to 2022, this continued planning and preparation is at the heart of our strategy. Israel continues to lead the way in vaccinations: we were the first, already at the end of July , to administer the booster and we managed to keep the economy open in the country thanks to the Green pass. Now, we are proceeding with the administration ration of the fourth dose. We maintain a global exchange channel at the highest levels of experts. With Italy in particular, thanks to regular meetings between our ministries of health, we share good practices and exchange of information to jointly combat the pandemic. The objective of this cooperation is to return to a routine of security and prosperity, which in the case of our countries means resuming the large flow of tourists as soon as possible and further strengthening our already close interpersonal, cultural and economic ties “.
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