Tel Aviv, 16 November 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign, some 40 days after the war with Hamas in Gaza began.

Firstly, Netanyahu's Likud party should elect a new prime minister, Lapid wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

"The time has come - we need to establish a national reconstruction government," he wrote on X. "Likud will lead it, Netanyahu and the extremists will be replaced, over 90 MKs [members of the parliament, or Knesset] will be partners in a coalition of healing and reconnection," he continued.

"Netanyahu has lost the trust of his citizens, the trust of the international community and most seriously - the trust of the security apparatus," he wrote. 

There has been massive criticism of Netanyahu, who has yet to take responsibility for the military and political failures of October 7, when the militant Islamist Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel.

In contrast to the head of government, the military representatives have taken responsibility for not anticipating the attacks.

According to Lapid the new government could include both his own centrist party and religious parties - but not Netanyahu's current far-right coalition partners.

Before Hamas' attack on Israel, Netanyahu was criticized for putting the country's safety at risk over pushing through a controversial judicial reform.

Lapid wrote: "We have waited 40 days, and we are running out of time. We now need a government that will deal with nothing but security and the economy. We can't afford another election next year where we keep arguing and explaining why the other side is a disaster." 

The Likud party has already rejected Lapid's suggestion, which he first made on Wednesday. Likud said that Lapid wanted to establish a party that would help set up a Palestinian state.

Photo: EPA