Lapid makes smooth landing in Israeli prime minister’s office
Having long prepared for the job, Yair Lapid quickly took on the role of Israel’s prime minister.
Just five days after becoming prime minister, Yair Lapid landed in Paris for his first visit in office.
To Lapid, who is also Israel's foreign minister, it is important that his first official visit abroad as prime minister be to President Emmanuel Macron for two reasons. One is that the French president is the Western leader closest to Lapid and the two have close ties, in direct communication via WhatsApp. The second is that they are both heads of centrist parties. Lapid wants to bolster his reputation as a centrist and expand his voter base with a new election just months away.
The photo of his July 5 visit to the Elysee Palace that Lapid posted to Twitter shows the French president and the Israeli premier sitting across from each other at a garden table, casual with their jackets off.
Everything Lapid does, every move and statement, is planned meticulously. During an election season, the slightest mistake could cost him voters.
