Yair Lapid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yair Lapid
יאיר לפיד
Official portrait, 2022
Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 January 2023
Prime Minister	Benjamin Netanyahu
Preceded by	Benjamin Netanyahu
In office 17 May 2020 – 13 June 2021
Prime Minister	Benjamin Netanyahu
Preceded by	Shelly Yachimovich (2019)
Succeeded by	Benjamin Netanyahu
14th Prime Minister of Israel
In office 1 July 2022 – 29 December 2022
President	Isaac Herzog
Alternate	Naftali Bennett
Preceded by	Naftali Bennett
Succeeded by	Benjamin Netanyahu
2nd Alternate Prime Minister of Israel
In office 13 June 2021 – 30 June 2022
Prime Minister	Naftali Bennett
Preceded by	Benny Gantz
Succeeded by	Naftali Bennett
Leader of Yesh Atid
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 May 2012
Preceded by	Position established
Ministerial offices held Minister of Foreign Affairs In office 13 June 2021 – 29 December 2022 Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Himself Preceded by Gabi Ashkenazi Succeeded by Eli Cohen Minister of Finance In office 18 March 2013 – 2 December 2014 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Preceded by Yuval Steinitz Succeeded by Benjamin Netanyahu
Member of the Knesset
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 January 2013
Personal details
Born	(1963-11-05) 5 November 1963 (age 61) Tel Aviv, Israel
Political party	Yesh Atid (since 2012)
Other political affiliations	Blue and White (2019–2020)
Spouse	Lihi Lapid
Children	3
Parents	Tommy Lapid (father) Shulamit Lapid (mother)
Occupation	Politician journalist

Yair Lapid (born 5 November 1963) is an Israeli politician. He leads the centrist Yesh Atid party. Before politics, he was a journalist. He has served as the Leader of the Opposition since January 2023. He also held this role from 2020 to 2021.

Lapid was the 14th prime minister of Israel from July to December 2022. He also served as the second alternate prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2021 to 2022. Before that, he was the Minister of Finance from 2013 to 2014. He has led Yesh Atid since he founded the party in 2012.

Yair Lapid: A Leader in Israel

Yair Lapid is a well-known figure in Israeli politics. He started his career in media before becoming a politician. He has held several important positions in the Israeli government. These roles include Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Finance Minister. He is currently the leader of the opposition.

Early Life and Career

Lapid in the early 1980s while serving as a military correspondent for the IDF's weekly newspaper

Yair Lapid was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. His father, Yosef "Tommy" Lapid, was a journalist and politician. His mother, Shulamit Lapid, is a novelist. Yair grew up in Tel Aviv and London.

He served in the Israel Defense Forces as a military reporter. After his service, he worked as a journalist. He wrote for newspapers and published poetry. He also had a brief career as an amateur boxer. Lapid is married to Lihi Lapid, and they have three children.

From Journalist to Politician

Lapid began his media career at a young age. In 1988, he became an editor for a local newspaper. He started writing a weekly column in 1991. This column was called "Where's the Money?". It later became a famous slogan in his political career.

In 1994, Lapid started hosting TV shows. He hosted popular talk shows and news programs. He also acted in an Israeli film. Between 1989 and 2010, he wrote many books. These included thrillers, children's books, and novels. He also wrote a TV drama series.

Lapid was also a songwriter. He wrote songs for famous Israeli musicians. In 2008, he hosted a news magazine show. He also had a play performed in a theater.

Becoming a Member of Knesset

In January 2012, Lapid announced he was leaving journalism. He wanted to enter politics. On April 30, he officially registered his party. It was called "Yesh Atid", which means "There's a Future".

In the 2013 election, Yesh Atid did very well. They won 19 seats in the Knesset. This made them the second-largest party. This success helped Lapid become a leading centrist politician.

Serving as Finance Minister

After the 2013 election, Yesh Atid joined the government. Lapid became the Minister of Finance. He served in this role from March 2013 to December 2014. During this time, he was recognized globally. The Jerusalem Post named him the "Most Influential Jew in the World" in 2013. Time magazine also listed him as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World".

Key Roles in Government

Leading the Opposition

Lapid (r.) with Benny Gantz in 2019

From 2015 to 2021, Yesh Atid was in the opposition. Lapid worked to fight corruption in Israel. He proposed plans to prevent political bribery. He also suggested banning corrupt people from public office.

In May 2020, Lapid became the Leader of the Opposition. He held this role until June 2021. He worked to form a new government.

Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister

Lapid (l.) with president Reuven Rivlin in May 2021

In June 2021, Lapid helped form a new government. He agreed to share power with Naftali Bennett. This was called a "rotation government". Lapid became the Alternate Prime Minister of Israel. He also became the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

As Foreign Minister, Lapid worked to strengthen Israel's ties with other countries. He opened new embassies in Abu Dhabi and Rabat. He also announced renewed diplomatic relations with Sweden.

Becoming Prime Minister

Prime Minister Lapid with U.S. President Joe Biden, 2022

On July 1, 2022, Lapid became the Prime Minister of Israel. This happened after Naftali Bennett stepped down. Lapid served as Prime Minister until December 29, 2022. He was the shortest-serving permanent Israeli prime minister.

During his time as Prime Minister, Lapid met with world leaders. He participated in the first I2U2 Group summit. This group includes the US, India, Israel, and the UAE. He also oversaw a military operation in the Gaza Strip.

In October 2022, Lapid condemned Russian attacks on Ukraine. After the November 2022 election, Benjamin Netanyahu became Prime Minister again. Lapid then became the Leader of the Opposition for a second time in January 2023.

He has been involved in important discussions about the Gaza war. He supported a total blockade on the Gaza Strip after the 2023 Hamas-led attack. In June 2024, he urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire proposal. In February 2025, he supported a proposal for the voluntary resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza. He also proposed an "Egyptian Solution" for the Gaza war. This plan would involve Egypt managing Gaza.

What Yair Lapid Believes In

Views on Peace and Two States

Lapid believes in a "two states for two peoples". This means Israel and a Palestinian state living side-by-side. He thinks this is important for Israel's future. He believes that Jerusalem should remain united under Israeli rule. He also supports Israel keeping large settlement areas.

He has said that Palestinians need to recognize Israel. He believes a peace agreement is necessary. He wants a "divorce agreement we can live with" rather than a "happy marriage".

Thoughts on Religion and Society

Lapid supports more public transportation on Shabbat. This is different from current laws. He also strongly supports recognition of civil marriage in Israel. Currently, marriage for Jews in Israel is controlled by religious authorities. Lapid believes Israel should recognize all types of Judaism.

Connecting with Jewish Communities Worldwide

Lapid believes in a strong relationship between Israel and the United States. He also thinks Israel should connect with Jewish communities around the world. He has criticized decisions that might alienate Jewish people outside Israel. He says that Israel should recognize all streams of Judaism.

Standing Up for Israel

Lapid is against the BDS movement. This movement tries to economically isolate Israel. He believes Israel needs to defend its reputation. He has also accused the United Nations of being biased against Israel. He points to many UN resolutions that condemn Israel.

Awards and Books

In April 2013, Time magazine included Lapid on its list of "100 Most Influential People in the World". The next month, The Jerusalem Post named him the "Most Influential Jew in the World".

Published Works

• The Double Head: thriller (1989)
• Yoav's Shadow: children's book (1992)
• One-Man Play: novel (1993)
• Elbi – A Knight's Story: children's book (1998)
• The Sixth Riddle: thriller (2001)
• Standing in a Row: collection of newspaper columns (2005)
• The Second Woman: thriller (2006)
• Sunset in Moscow: thriller (2007)
• Memories After My Death: Biography (2010)
• A Journey to Our Future (2017)

Images for kids

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  Yair Lapid in Jacob Goldwasser's 1991 film Beyond the Sea

• 

  Yair Lapid giving a speech at Sapir Academic College in November 2015

• 

  Lapid with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, D.C., April 8, 2024

See also

In Spanish: Yair Lapid para niños