Bennett and Lapid Announce New Political Alliance to Challenge Netanyahu in Upcoming Election

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and opposition leader Yair Lapid have announced the formation of a new political alliance aimed at contesting the upcoming general election scheduled for October against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The two leaders said their objective is to unseat Netanyahu and bring political change in Israel.

In a televised address on Sunday night, Bennett said he and Lapid were taking what he described as a “Zionist and patriotic step” for the country. He announced that the new alliance would be named the “Together Party.”

Ahead of the joint announcement, Lapid wrote on social media platform X that the move would unite reform-minded forces and help steer Israel toward necessary change.

Bennett said that if elected, the alliance would establish a national commission of inquiry into failures surrounding the Hamas attack in 2023, which marked a turning point in criticism of the Netanyahu government.

Lapid has recently described Netanyahu’s acceptance of a ceasefire in the war with Iran as a “political disaster,” reflecting growing opposition coordination against the prime minister.

A long-time right-wing politician, Bennett has supported Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. He previously formed a coalition government with Lapid in June 2021, which collapsed after about a year due to internal disagreements. Lapid briefly served as caretaker prime minister before Netanyahu returned to power following the 2022 elections.

Opinion polls suggest Bennett could be the strongest challenger to Netanyahu in the upcoming election. The 54-year-old former tech entrepreneur, who comes from an American immigrant family, previously sold a startup company for $145 million in 2005 and remains popular among younger voters in Israel.