Jerusalem– Israel’s two political stalwarts said Sunday they will unite in upcoming elections in a joint effort to oust its longtime prime minister. benjamin netanyahu.
Naftali Bennett And Yair Lapid Served as Prime Minister in a rotation agreement as part of coalition government They were formed in 2021. They now plan to merge their parties into a single faction led by Bennett.
“The move aims to unify the faction, end internal divisions and focus all efforts on winning the crucial upcoming elections,” Lapid’s Yesh Atid party said in a statement.
Bennett and Lapid scheduled a joint news conference for later Sunday.
The 2021 coalition agreement ended Netanyahu’s 12-year rule. Bennett served as Prime Minister for the first year until his coalition collapsed. Lapid held the top post as acting prime minister for the final six months until new elections returned Netanyahu to power.
Lapid has served as Israel’s opposition leader since that time, while Bennett took a break from politics.
There are ideological differences between the two persons. Bennett is an Orthodox Jew and has hardline views towards the Palestinians, while Lapid is secular and considered more moderate. But they had a close working relationship during their short-lived alliance.
Their coalition aims to unite the fragmented opposition, which has little in common except their shared hostility toward Netanyahu.
