Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid says Israel has become “a hostage of irresponsible lunatics” in his latest post slamming PM Netanyahu.

“You can’t go on like this. A minister with a criminal record stands in the prime minister’s office and threatens the prime minister with the consequences if he does not do what he is told,” Lapid wrote on X.

“[Itamar] Ben Gvir tells the whole world and the whole region that Netanyahu is weak and works for him. It is unbelievable that he is not fired on the spot.”

Earlier, Ben Gvir said Netanyahu had “heard” his words and understood the consequences if the Rafah operation did not happen.

Far-right ministers, including Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have both threatened to leave Netanyahu’s coalition government if the military operation in Rafah does not occur.