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Israel's Top Two Parties Are Close on Security Issues
(Foreign Affairs) Michael J. Koplow - The grouping of Yesh Atid, the second largest vote-getter in the Israeli elections, under a center-left banner is analytically lazy. Party leader Yair Lapid has stated that Jerusalem cannot be divided under any circumstances and insists that standing firm on this issue will force the Palestinians to recant their demand that east Jerusalem serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state. During the campaign, Lapid chose Ariel in the West Bank for a major campaign speech calling for negotiations with the Palestinians, and declined to endorse a settlement freeze. In fact, Lapid's views on security issues are close to those that Netanyahu has publicly staked out.