Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks on his mobile phone during a special session of the Knesset whereby Israeli lawmakers elect a new president, at the plenum in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem June 2, 2021. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

i24 News – Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Sunday formally invited opposition leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, for a security briefing amid a reported dispute over how to handle the matter.

Netanyahu is a rival of Lapid’s for the premiership in the upcoming elections to be held on November 1 and the Likud leader is reportedly concerned that getting direct updates from Lapid could be used for political purposes.

He did not receive direct security updates from the previous prime minister, Naftali Bennett, while he was in office.

The preference is for Netanyahu to receive the security updates, usually a routine matter, only from Israel’s military secretary, Brigadier General Avi Gil, instead of both Lapid and Gil being present in the room.

Netanyahu conveyed this to Lapid during a Friday phone call, according to his spokesperson, in response to an invitation from Lapid to participate in the legally mandated security updates.

This was “in order to prevent the security briefing from turning into a political tool ahead of elections,” Netanyahu’s spokesperson said.

Netanyahu has not responded publicly to Lapid’s formal request.