Lapid Accuses Netanyahu of Building Satellite Parties After Gantz Offer

Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to build satellite parties because he expects Likud to lose, after reports tying Netanyahu's outreach to Benny Gantz, Deddy Simhi and other right-leaning figures. The argument followed Likud's internal fight over reserved slots and the coming election slate. Blue and White answered sharply, saying Lapid promised not to sit with Netanyahu and then did so, while Lapid ruled out joining another Netanyahu government. The dispute is a live campaign marker: Israel's parties are already organizing around coalition arithmetic, security credentials and who can govern after the next vote.