Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government “have become an existential threat to Israel,” accusing them of destroying Israeli deterrence.

Addressing the press ahead of his Yesh Atid party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset — held this week despite the legislative recess — Lapid stated that both friends and enemies of the Zionist entity “smell weakness” from the current government.

They are shocked by this government: by the lack of responsibility, by the lack of professionalism, by the mismanagement,” he said, as quoted by Israeli media.

“While the United States has lived up to its commitment to Israel’s security, Netanyahu has not,” The Times of Israel quoted Lapid as saying “All that is left of Mr Security” are “ruins from Be’eri to Kiryat Shmona, violence by Jewish terrorists who have become out of control, and a complete loss of Israeli deterrence,” he added.