It took time for Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to establish himself as a serious politician and statesman. This week, he suddenly found himself caught up in a political crisis that threatens the coalition’s very survival and his own political future. It is a situation over which he seemingly has no control.
The April 6 decision by Knesset member Idit Silman to quit the coalition sent shockwaves through the government and all its diverse parties. Even before she made her exit, this was a very fragile coalition, with a majority of just one seat. Without her, it has lost that majority and will have a hard time functioning for much longer.
