Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have combined their parties ahead of elections planned for later this year
Former Israeli Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid © Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images
Former
Israeli Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have formed a
unified party in a bid to oust Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in
elections later this year.
Right-wing Bennett and centrist Lapid
on Sunday confirmed the merger of their parties, Bennett 2026 and Yesh
Atid, into a single list titled ‘Together, Led by Bennett’, which they
described as an effort to consolidate the opposition and improve its
chances in the vote, which must be held no later than the end of
October.
Bennett told reporters that joining forces was “the most Zionist and patriotic act we have ever done, for the sake of our country,” adding that “the era of division is over.” Lapid said: “We are standing here together for the sake of our children. The State of Israel must change direction.”
Widely seen as Netanyahu’s most formidable political rivals, the two
have joined forces before, ending his 12-year tenure after the 2021
election by forming the short-lived “government of change,” a coalition spanning right-wing, centrist and left-wing parties.
That
alliance included the Arab party Ra’am, led by Mansour Abbas, marking
the first time a party representing Israel’s Palestinian minority joined
a governing coalition. Netanyahu returned to power after winning the
November 2022 election.
The new partnership will run as a unified
list without formally merging their parties, and both have said they
would seek to form a government only with Zionist opposition parties,
excluding Arab factions. Bennett also said his government would advance a
universal conscription law, halt funding for draft evasion, and
introduce an eight-year term limit for a prime minister.
A recent
Maariv poll showed Bennett’s party tied with Netanyahu’s Likud at 24
Knesset seats, while Yesh Atid has been polling at around six to seven
seats.
Netanyahu’s tenure has come under strain since Israel launched a
military campaign in Gaza following a Hamas attack in October 2023 that
killed 1,200 people and saw 250 taken hostage. More than 72,000 people
have been killed and over 172,000 wounded in Israel’s airstrikes and
ground offensive, according to Palestinian health authorities. Polls
have indicated Netanyahu may lose the next election.
The
International Criminal Court issued warrants for Netanyahu in 2024 over
alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
At home,
Netanyahu is facing a long-running corruption trial. Charged with
bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three cases, he denies
wrongdoing, calling the case a political witch hunt. The trial resumed
this week after a pause during the Iran war, with no resolution in
sight. President Isaac Herzog has indicated that any pardon would only
be considered after plea deal efforts are exhausted.