..he'll surround himself with people that actually know what they're doing,take credit if things go well,and blame them if things go wrong...just like obama.

it would mean that Israel's economy fails, and you'd think that this should be what matters to him, not just an analysis of who would hypothetically have to take the political blame for it. Everyone will suffer, not just he and Netanyahu. Not a good sign for where his heart seems to be at right now.

I offer myself to fly a passenger jet .I have never flown before but I would love to have a go. I also offer myself as a Brain Surgeon .I have never operated before and I have scant knowledge of the human anatomy ,nevertheless I fancy myself as doing a decent job of it. Perhaps Finance Minister of Israel too ?

an excellent Foreign Minister, Yair, you have nothing to worry about in Finance. Stick to your words - that in itself will be a tremendous contribution to Israeli politics

Lapid, you are not a politician and you should not play with the citizens of Israel, you are no different form any other politician in the Knesset, you are only hungry for power, we, the citizens of Israel will pay for your mistakes. You should have keep your career on TV and if you wanted to be a politician, you should have started where you can learn, you don't play in the big leagues without learning first. Very bad move from you and specially from all the people who thinks you are the one who can change this country. It is true that we need new politicians, it is true that we need to change a lot of things in the system, but that doesn't mean that the first to jump on the bus is the driver we need. For the sake of all Israel I hope you do good and prove me and all of us wrong.

Sounds like Lapid lacks confidence in helping Israel.

Hardly signed the coalition agreement and he's already looking for a scapegoat.

... Lapid, will be counted a success. Of course, Bibi had the advantage of an MBA from MIT and some business experience in his background.

He was voted in to solve those problems and he had better step up to the plate and deliver. Why is he talking about failure? He is supposed to succeed. He did not tell the voters that he might fail, did he?

... and things will be worse before they're better." Wow, an Obama clone. That's exactly the kinds of things he says, then sits adn drains America of all it's wealth. Interesting.

Just shut up with your olmert rationalizations. Just consult with your economists at finance and make good decisions. Don't worry about bibi, he is on his way out. But if you do a lousy job , then the voters will hold you to account. Don't look to bibi. israel expects you to do ajob for them not play political games.

Most of the above comments appear to have originated with those minds saturated with the contrived formulas, the,pr spins and the flat lies of hardened politicians. Honesty and genuine sincerity are foreign quantities and evidently incomprehensible to the Pavlovian conditioned.. I trust Lapid to find and trust the best minds.

the wilderness with Moses. Yahweh told the people to step away from the complainers who challenged Moses' authority. Then the Earth opened up and swallowed up the complainers and their families. Yahweh does not like gripers who put another burden on the leaders who don't need that. They need support and hard work from those who are in leadership with them. What Yair Lapid needs to do is to surround himself with the best minds in finance he can find. Stanley Fischer is a great one to turn to, for example, to find answers to problems in finance instead of griping. Finance is a difficult field but there are experts who can help a Finance Minister to become like them by heeding their advice. President John Kennedy was not a very smart fellow compared to the experts he surrounded himself with. What he lacked was compensated for by the experts he turned to for advice.

Yair Lapid knows what it takes. He will not fail, although he will not have a smooth ride. The critics from the Right will be hunting for his neck. The Ultra Orthodox will feign being victims at every opportunity. But the country is behind Yair and Naftali, which is much more than Bibi ever had. You will make it, you will be successful. You have been successful at every step from the day you started your road in politics.

He really pisses me off when he actually tries to suggest that Israel has a middle class. It HAD a middle class, the poor have no money, so the rich had no other group to take money from, but the middle class! Yair Lapid is worth 22million shekels, and is ranked 8th richest politician in israel! . THAT'S MIDDLE CLASS?

that's the impression Lapid gives..a real turnoff...

Technocrat not a Politician. On the other hand. Natanuahu is an aconomist who even worked with Romney in a Financial enviroment. If he was good as a finance minister, he was prepared. Unless behind the courtains Nataniahu is going to direct the Show.

Can he stay away from looking at himself in the mirror long enough to do his job?

better looking than Yair Lapid and that is very good looking, indeed. It is like looking at a pretty girl for a boy. Girls like to look at pretty guys from a distance, too.

Unbelievable that fools believe his crap!

Are you Lapid's accountant ?? How do you know how much he makes a month ???

"If I will fail as finance minister, the PM will fail to" No, Mr. Lapid. If YOU will fail as finance minister the PEOPLE of Israel will fail! Lapid's problem: His ego is bigger than his brains and his mouth can't control it.

Not an economist. We are in deep doo doo.

With due respect economists spend half the time theorizing about what should happen in an ideal world if other variables stay constant and the other half the time explaining why they got it wrong. Bibi was the last notable finance minister and his economic backgroun consisted of selling cupboards! What is important is the backing of the Prime Minister - so the question is - is Bibi responsible. the main challenge that he is goinf to find is creating the jobs that we will need as the economy takes on all the masses of Haredim who are going to have to follow the model adopted by their successful Haredi brothers in the States and in England - most of them working!!

Every day, if possible. That makes me happy.

So Lapid thinks he should hold high office because if he fails, Bibi will suffer too! Very impressive. NOT. Lapid has nothing more to offer Israel than that. Is this the sort of political "leader" that Israel wants to rule us?

The Galus which savours The Strength of the State of Israel can surge in assisstance the Galus is relatively wealthy.the first Promise is Drastic increased support to Holocaust Survivors Victims of Terror and Injured Soldiers.

What do you mean "girls like to look at pretty guys from a distance"?? I like to look at guys - especially at their legs - from as close as I can get. Of course, since I'm 74 years old, I blame it on bad eye sight :-)