Lapid registers new party, 'Yesh Atid'

        Former television personality Yair Lapid officially registered his new political party "Yesh Atid" (There is a future) at the party registrar’s office on Monday. Lapid stated that registering the party marked another step on the path to fulfilling the central goal he set for himself - to establish a large and meaningful political force that will bring about a change in the State of Israel's priorities and "finally" offer real representation for the middle class. In a letter to his supporters, Lapid wrote: "We established the Yesh Atid party because the Israeli middle class, the working and productive public, which pays taxes and serves in the army, does not have a voice or anyone to defend their interests in relation to the issues that are important to them: education, health, transportation, housing, the fight against corruption and the cost of living." Lapid added that Yesh Atid had the answer to the question which has served as a slogan for the politician, "Where is the money?" He said: "The money is here, only the wrong people are spending it on the wrong things. It is possible to change this and the time has come to change this." Lapid claimed he had collected approximately 10,000 volunteers and activists since he announced his intention to enter politics in January and had 54,513 Facebook supporters. Lapid released a list of the party's goals, which include changing the political system, mandatory enlistment for everyone, decreasing the number of ministers serving in the government, an obligation to fulfill the High Court's rulings, the drafting of a constitution and the achievement of a peace agreement with the Palestinians based on a two-state solution that retains the large settlement blocs for Israel and ensures the Jewish State's security.