Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid join forces under unified party ahead of Israeli elections

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid held a joint press conference on Sunday evening to announce their plan to form a united political party for the upcoming Israeli elections. Both Bennett and Lapid began their speeches by eulogizing fallen soldier Idan Fooks, who was killed by Hezbollah terrorists earlier on Sunday. Lapid said that, if elected, he intends to limit the prime minister's term in office to eight years. Lapid's Yesh Atid Party and Bennett 2026 will form a joint list party called "Together", which will be led by Bennett, his office announced earlier on Sunday. The agreement between Lapid and Bennett was signed on Saturday evening, Lapid’s office confirmed to The Jerusalem Post. Eisenkot invited to join Lapid and Bennett's Together party Space has been left for Yashar! leader Gadi Eisenkot to join the merger as well, Bennett’s office told the Post. Eisenkot had previously been offered a seat in Bennett's party, but said last month that he declined the offer because he did not want to serve as second-in-command. Since then, there have been reports of ongoing talks among Bennett, Eisenkot, and Lapid about forming a joint party called “New Israel.” Lapid believes that to win the elections, the bloc must stand behind Bennett, a leader who, in his view, is a right-winger, yet liberal and law-abiding. The pair spoke about stopping the squabbles within the opposition bloc, working together to focus on one aim - to win the elections, bringing about change in the country. Polls have found that there is a significant advantage to Bennett leading the joint list and becoming prime minister. "The unity between us is a message to the entire people of Israel. The era of division has ended, and the era of repair is here," Bennett wrote on X/Twitter.