Mr Lapid, whose grandfather was among the founders of Maariv newspaper, is the son of another journalist-turned-politician. Yosef "Tommy" Lapid founded the secular Shinui party in 1990s and later served as Ariel Sharon's justice minister in a coalition government.
Mr Lapid has not yet revealed which, if any, of Israel's political parties he intends to join. But Kadima leader Tzipi Livni and Labour leader Shelly Yachimovich, also a former journalist, welcomed his decision to run for office.
An author and a popular figure in Israel, analysts expect Mr Lapid to enjoy popular support from the Israeli electorate. With elections set to take place next year or earlier, he is expected to make an impact wherever he lands on the political spectrum.
