Lapid asks for patience as he attempts to form government

Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid posted on social media asking for patience as he begins the process of forming a government. "Now comes the really difficult part: trying to form a government," Lapid wrote, saying the effort is owed to those who voted on Tuesday, including those who flew in to vote and those who spent hours at polling stations. He acknowledged the difficulty ahead, stating he has "no guarantees" and describing it as "a complicated political process." Lapid noted that there is now "an overwhelming Israeli majority that has made it clear this is what it wants." He confirmed that work is underway despite the public silence: "If you want to know whether something is happening behind the silence you're hearing right now, the answer is yes."