Opposition Turns on Lapid: Too Busy to Win

The election of attorney Michael Rabilo as state comptroller is continuing to shake the political system, with opposition figures now turning their criticism inward and blaming Opposition Leader Yair Lapid for the failure to block the coalition’s candidate.

Rabilo, who is considered close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was elected with the support of 61 MKs, giving the coalition a narrow but important victory after an earlier round of voting exposed internal cracks.

A senior opposition figure told journalist Yehuda Schlesinger of Walla that the result was a serious failure for Lapid and a low point for the opposition.

“The failure in the election of the state comptroller is entirely on Lapid,” the official said.

According to the source, Lapid should have focused on managing the parliamentary battle and exploiting the coalition’s fragility. Instead, the official argued, he spent the day dealing with internal political tensions in the opposition bloc, especially around Gadi Eisenkot.

“He was busy again yesterday with statements and briefings against Gadi Eisenkot, instead of making sure that even his own MKs voted for the opposition candidate,” the official said.

The criticism comes amid growing tension between Lapid and Eisenkot over the leadership of the anti-Netanyahu camp ahead of the next election. Eisenkot’s Yashar party has been rising in polls, while the Bennett-Lapid Together alliance has shown signs of weakening.

The senior opposition figure said Rabilo’s election was not only a procedural loss, but a symbol of Lapid’s failure to function as an effective opposition leader during the current Knesset term.

“There is no more extreme expression of a failed term than ending four years with the election of Rabilo,” the official said.

The attack reflects a wider frustration inside the opposition, where figures are increasingly questioning whether Lapid can continue to lead the bloc while also fighting Bennett and Eisenkot for political dominance.