Image by Haim Zach
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Jerusalem — Two former Israeli prime ministers, right-wing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid, announced on Sunday they are merging their parties in a direct challenge to Benjamin Netanyahu’s long-serving coalition.
At a joint news conference, the pair declared the formation of a new party called Together, with Bennett as its leader. The merger combines Bennett’s Bennett 2026 faction with Lapid’s There Is a Future party.
“We are standing here together for the sake of our children,” Lapid said, standing alongside Bennett. “The State of Israel must change direction.”
Bennett, a former army commando and tech entrepreneur, added: “After 30 years it is time to part with Netanyahu and open a new chapter for Israel.”
The two politicians first joined forces in 2021, successfully ending Netanyahu’s record 12-year run as prime minister. Their fragile coalition, which included a diverse array of parties, collapsed after just 18 months. Netanyahu returned to power following the November 2022 election.
The new alliance aims to contest Israel’s next general election, expected by the end of October 2026. Recent polls have shown Netanyahu’s Likud party vulnerable, with public frustration growing over the ongoing war in Gaza and its aftermath.
Polling ShiftA survey published by Israel’s N12 News on 23 April showed Bennett’s support rising sharply. The poll projected his new party winning 21 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, compared to 25 for Netanyahu’s Likud. Lapid’s current party was projected at just seven seats, down significantly from its present 24.
Bennett, 54, has been gaining ground as a right-wing alternative to Netanyahu, while Lapid appeals to centrist voters disillusioned with the current government.
BackgroundNetanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, returned to office in late 2022. A year later, the country was thrust into war following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. Israel responded with a major military campaign in Gaza. By mid-December 2023, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported the death toll had surpassed 45,000.
The conflict has dominated Israeli politics ever since, with Netanyahu facing criticism both at home and abroad over its handling.
The Bennett-Lapid merger marks the latest attempt by opposition figures to unite against Netanyahu ahead of the looming vote. Whether the new “Together” party can translate current polling momentum into an election victory remains to be seen.
