Letter to Yair Lapid

Dear Yair,

I read your article on Haaretz.com like someone waiting for a spark of boldness, a vision that could lift us out of this mire. But I found excuses and half-truths that don’t change or transform anything. You talk about complexity as an unsolvable maze, but what’s truly lacking, Yair, is courage—the courage to lead. Because until now, you’ve been following rather than leading. You walk behind the crowd, listening to the roar of the streets, but you’re not pointing us toward a destination.

You say this government is a disaster, and the opposition is united in bringing it down, but it feels like a group of fans who despise each other, sitting on the same side of the stadium just because they want the other team to lose. And what disturbs me is that amid all this confusion, you seem content to be the captain of a ship that doesn’t know where it’s going. You speak of your struggle and behind-the-scenes achievements, but where is the plan? Where is the project for the country? We remain lost without a guiding thread that unites our pains and desires in a coherent vision for the future.

The situation is serious, Yair. You mention that the opposition is working hard, burning the midnight oil to block damaging laws and prevent more significant harm. But this strategy of containment isn’t enough. Not when, during peak periods, hospitals are overcrowded to the point that ambulances can’t unload patients. Recently, in some hospitals, occupancy rates exceeded 200% in emergency rooms and internal departments, with waiting times of more than 15 hours. The healthcare system, once a point of pride, now faces an overload that reveals systemic failures and a lack of long-term planning.

This is not just a temporary crisis. Israel suffers from a chronic shortage of doctors and specialists. This shortage reflects decades of poor management and the absence of a plan that anticipates the needs of a rapidly growing and aging population. This results in unbearable waiting times for specialist consultations, especially in remote areas like Eilat, where life expectancy is up to six years lower than in Tel Aviv due to inadequate access to quality medical care.

And what about education? Israel’s educational system is another battlefield where inequalities are widening. Schools in Tel Aviv are not the same as in Beersheba or Kiryat Shmona. The absence of a unified plan to address regional disparities means quality education remains a privilege for the few. Meanwhile, the gap between central Israel and the periphery grows more expansive, and children born in “the wrong” places pay the price.

Do you see where I’m going, Yair? It’s not enough to talk about the failures of Netanyahu’s government or to maneuver to block disastrous policies. We need a nation-building project. A clear plan that tackles inequality, healthcare, and education head-on. That proposes structural reforms, not just stopgap measures. Leadership is about providing direction when everything seems lost, about being the voice that leads, not just one that echoes indignation.

You have brilliant minds around you, strategists, and professionals who know the intricacies of Israeli politics inside and out. But what’s missing is the courage to lead authentically. To propose something beyond just being “anti-Netanyahu.” Israel needs more than an opposition that says “no”; it needs one that says “yes” to a better future, with policies that reach all citizens, not just the privileged.

So, Yair, the question I leave for you is simple: when will you truly lead the Israel we need to build?

Sincerely,

Gil Mildar