Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, two former prime ministers of Israel, have announced the merger of their parties, creating a new political structure that could defeat the Likud party of current head of government Benjamin Netanyahu in the upcoming elections. This is reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
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It is noted that the party, named "Together," will be led by Bennett, "a hawk and former settler advocate who has moved slightly toward the center, especially on domestic issues."
Although he left politics after his defeat by Netanyahu in 2022, he is the prime minister's strongest rival, according to weekly voter polls
Meanwhile, Lapid, a centrist whose base is in "secular" Tel Aviv, currently leads the opposition with his Yesh Atid party.
They together led the previous grand government that ousted Netanyahu but lasted just over a year before losing to him in 2022
In a statement, Bennett and Lapid said they were announcing the "first step in the process of healing the State of Israel."
"This step unites the 'reform block,' puts an end to internal fighting, and allows all efforts to be directed toward achieving a decisive victory in the upcoming elections and leading Israel toward necessary reforms," the statement said.
Recall
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially announced his intention to run in the next parliamentary elections in November 2026.
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