Steinitz: Lapid 'arrogant,' Netanyahu 'showed weakness'

In an interview with Channel 2's "Meet the Press", Steinitz said of Lapid: "The man has been a minister just three months. He comes to the most sanctified of meetings, the political-security cabinet. He's never been in government, he doesn't know how it works, he doesn't know if ministers were invited to the forum of eight ministers from a previous government or what, and he arrogantly comes and acts the way he acted."

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"Some people think they deserve everything; that they don't have to learn," Steinitz added. "You know what? It's just like someone who wants a master's degree before getting a bachelor's. Without any foundation. It doesn't work that way. It's like anyone who thinks, 'I'm rich enough, I'm famous enough, I'm in the media, I'm on facebook—so I can get away with anything.'"

Steinitz didn't clear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heeded Lapid's request to remove him, of guilt: "With all the respect and appreciation I have for him, this is a case where he should have conducted himself differently," said Steinitz. "It was unworthy behavior of him; he showed weakness and I have criticism of him. I have strong criticism about the arrogance and haughtiness and conceit shown by Lapid, but also about the weakness and error in judgment the prime minister has shown."

Steinitz told Channel 2, "There is one landlord for this government. He's an experienced and wise man with ample knowledge and wisdom. His behavior should be such so it is clear he is the landlord of this government. There was a fault here, and I think the prime minister understands this incident shouldn't have happened."

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