Little known outside Israel, political newcomer Yair Lapid could soon become the moderate face to the world of an otherwise hard-line government after next week's parliamentary election.
Gamely predicting he will one day be prime minister, the cosmopolitan Lapid stands out in a political landscape crowded with ex-officers, lawyers and apparatchiks: perpetually dressed in black and coiffed in high style, he is a former TV news anchor, movie star, talk show host, novelist, newspaper columnist and amateur boxer.
Lapid said he would not be a "fig leaf" in an extremist government and will make firm demands in exchange for joining, including an end to the country's preferential treatment of ultra-Orthodox Jews and the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians.
"I think it is crucial that we take the path of being part of the Western, civilized world and the international community," Lapid told The Associated Press. "I don't want a country that is defined by religion. I don't want a country that is defined by the separation of groups and sectors."
The 49-year-old Lapid was one of Israel's best-known faces, writing a popular newspaper column — — in which he often discussed his wife and children and various personal matters — and hosting a top-rated weekend news program when he abruptly declared a year ago that he was entering politics.
Despite being the son of a former Cabinet minister and living in an exclusive Tel Aviv neighborhood, he billed himself as an average Israeli, representing the interests of middle class people struggling to get by in a country torn by conflict and a high cost of living.
His "Yesh Atid" — "There is a Future" — party has grown into a formidable movement. Opinion polls predict the party will win perhaps a tenth of the seats in the 120-member parliament, which could make it the fourth-largest faction. But thanks to Israel's coalition system, Lapid could end up wielding influence far beyond his party's size.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's faction — a union of his Likud with the even more nationalist Israel Beitenu — is poised to emerge as the largest, with over 30 seats, according to the polls. Together with his traditional allies, hard-line nationalist and religious parties, he is expected to manage a majority at least 61 seats.
However, there is a strong sense among many Israelis that such a nationalist coalition would be disastrous for the country — and that sense seems especially strong among the elites who are the natural milieu of both Lapid and Netanyahu.
This has led to much speculation that after a stormy four-year tenure characterized by deadlock in Mideast peace efforts and repeated clashes with the U.S. and other allies, Netanyahu will pursue a more centrist coalition.
That has left Lapid as a potential coalition partner, putting him in a strong position to demand a high-profile Cabinet post.
Despite opposing stands on most issues both Netanyahu and Lapid have encouraged the speculation by openly discussing the possibility. Often heard is the idea of Lapid as education minister.
Lapid repeatedly declares his deep regret about Netanyahu's strong poll showings but tends to follow that with what has become a stock phrase of sorts: "Let's be practical." He then explains how important it is to pull Netanyahu toward the center and free him from dependence on the most extreme nationalists.
A similar logic applied to the other main players on the center-left. But Labor Party leader Shelly Yachimovich recently declared she would not join Netanyahu under any circumstances, and former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who has founded a new party dedicated to promoting peace with the Palestinians, has a testy relationship with the prime minister.
Lapid could give Netanyahu an attractive new face to present to the world. He is a regular fixture on lists of Israel's sexiest men, dresses stylishly, claims to work out every day and speaks impeccable English.
During the interview in the book-lined basement study of his Tel Aviv home, he quoted Albert Einstein, Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and "The Godfather," and proudly displayed a pair of boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali. Discussing his own crime novels, he professes his admiration for Raymond Chandler.
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