Former Israeli Premiers Join in Bid to Oust Netanyahu in Elections

The centrist leader of Israel’s opposition, Yair Lapid, and a right-wing former prime minister, Naftali Bennett, announced on Sunday that they would combine forces in elections later this year. The merger is an apparent bid to reconstitute a partnership that temporarily unseated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu five years ago. Mr. Bennett and Mr. Lapid said their two parties, Bennett 2026 and Yesh Atid, would unite into a party to be called Yachad, Hebrew for “together,” under Mr. Bennett’s leadership. They described the move as “the first step in the process of uniting and repairing the state of Israel.” In a joint news conference broadcast live on Sunday evening, the pair presented their political and ideological differences as an advantage and an example for a deeply fractured nation. “The unity we share is a message to all the people of Israel,” Mr. Bennett said, declaring that “the era of polarization is over.” Mr. Lapid described Mr. Bennett as “a man of the right, but a man of the liberal, decent, law-abiding right.” Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.