Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1016 EAT on Wednesday 30 September 2026

Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “fear-mongering” after Netanyahu warned that Israel’s enemies could attempt to attack the country ahead of next month’s general election.

Lapid, who leads the Yesh Atid party, made the remarks after meeting Netanyahu for a security briefing on Tuesday night.

Netanyahu had earlier said there were indications that Israel’s enemies could try to attack ahead of the October 27 election, without specifying which groups he was referring to.

Following the meeting, Lapid said security threats should be handled professionally and responsibly and argued that there was no reason to cause public panic. He also said the election should proceed as scheduled.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu posted a video showing him at an Israeli military base standing in front of a fighter jet. In the video, he said there were “indications that, ahead of the elections, our enemies will try to attack us.”

Netanyahu did not specify which groups he was referring to. In recent weeks, however, he has issued warnings directed at Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Palestinian Authority, threatening retaliation in the event of an attack.

Lapid requested an urgent security briefing following Netanyahu’s warning. After meeting the prime minister, he said he was confident the election would take place as scheduled and that “there is no reason to panic the public.”

“The elections will take place on time, and no one has an excuse to disrupt them,” Lapid said.

Lapid also criticised Netanyahu for using a military base in an election-related video and accused him of failing to heed warnings ahead of the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. The attacks triggered the war in Gaza, where more than 76,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures cited by Al Jazeera.

“Netanyahu ignored every warning before October 7, and now, 28 days before the election, he is suddenly busy fear-mongering,” Lapid said.

He added that he would not disclose details of the security briefing, but stressed that security threats should be handled “professionally and responsibly.”

The election, scheduled for October 7, will be Israel’s first national vote since the Hamas-led attacks that plunged the region into a prolonged period of conflict.

Since the attacks, Israel has fought wars involving Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran.

The election is expected to be closely watched as Netanyahu seeks another term in office following one of the most consequential periods in Israel’s recent history. His centrist rivals are campaigning on promises of a different direction for the country.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, was first elected to the office in 1996.

In recent weeks, he has denied media reports that leaders of Middle Eastern countries warned him of a potential Hamas attack before October 7, 2023. The allegations have been seized upon by his political rivals, who have questioned his handling of security warnings before the attacks.

Recent opinion polls show a closely contested race, with no candidate or political bloc having a clear path to forming the next government. According to a Reuters polling average based on data available as of September 22, Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party led Netanyahu’s Likud by two percentage points.

The Reuters polling average projected parties opposed to Netanyahu at 64 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 49 seats for parties supporting him. However, the figures also indicated that the opposition would face challenges in forming a governing coalition.

Lapid is among several opposition figures seeking to challenge Netanyahu. He, Eisenkot and other opposition leaders have agreed to coordinate their efforts to remove Netanyahu’s government.

Under an agreement announced last week, the leaders pledged to work in their respective constituencies to increase voter turnout and attract support from different sections of society in an effort to secure enough seats to form a government.

Netanyahu said in a separate post on Tuesday that he had held a security briefing with Lapid, during which he raised concerns about possible attacks “on the various fronts ahead of the elections.”

He also stressed that he regularly holds security briefings with the opposition leader.

Aljazeera