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Israel's Arab voters unimpressed with Lapid’s UN speech on two-state solution

In his address to the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Yair Lapid also addressed Israeli Arab citizens, boasting that his coalition included an Arab party and that his government included Arab ministers.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid gives a speech during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, New York, Sept. 22, 2022.

The Sept. 22 speech of Prime Minister Yair Lapid to the UN General Assembly made headlines mostly because of the support he expressed vis-a-vis the two-state solution in the conflict with the Palestinians. The speech was targeting Israeli voters in general, ahead of the Nov. 1 elections, and Israeli Arab voters in particular.

Relating to the diversity of Israel’s population, Lapid said, “In the government which I lead, there are Arab ministers. There is an Arab party as a member of our coalition. We have Arab judges in our Supreme Court. Arab doctors saving lives in our hospitals. Israeli Arabs are not our enemies, they are our partners in life.” 

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