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Yair Lapid, leader of Yesh Atid, the second largest party in Israel’s governing coalition, has thrown his party’s weight behind the peace process, in an interview reported on this morning. Speaking to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Monday, Lapid spoke of his support for the ongoing process and stated his preference for a settlement freeze over a prisoner release, saying, “I would choose, every day of the week, freezing the settlements over freeing prisoners,”

Lapid also suggested that should his party come to the conclusion that the coalition was not doing all it can to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, it may leave the government. “If I would think this coalition did not exhaust all options and it is our fault that the negotiation is not in progress or process, then I can’t stay in this government.” He added, “We decided we’ll do everything in our power to back up the negotiations.”

These remarks follow a call by Opposition and Labour Party leader Isaac Herzog earlier this week on Yesh Atid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni’s Hatnua party to leave the coalition. In remarks during a Knesset session on the peace talks on Monday, Herzog said that, “The failure echoes in all areas. This is a government of failure that doesn’t provide peace, only depression.”