Former Israeli prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have merged their political parties to challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in elections scheduled for October at the latest.
Named the “Beyahad” party – or “Together” in Hebrew – the bloc will be led by Bennett in a bid to unseat the 76-year-old premier, who has led Israel for most of the last 17 years.
At a press conference on Sunday, Lapid said that while Bennett is right-wing, he is a “liberal, decent, law-abiding right-winger, who did not sell his values – neither to Haredi extortion nor to corruption”.
“All Israeli centrists must stand behind Bennett,” Lapid said, adding that Israel “needs unity like air to breathe”.
Bennett, for his part, said their “unity is a message”, adding that they can “fight together” despite their differences.
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“I’m thrilled to announce to you that tonight, together with my colleague Yair Lapid, we’re taking the most Zionist and patriotic action we’ve ever taken, for the sake of our country,” Bennett said in a post on X.
“The era of division is over. The era of repair has arrived. When we work together, we win,” he added, saying the two politicians “accomplished [in a year] what other governments didn’t in four [years]”.
Under separate parties, the pair previously defeated Netanyahu in the 2021 elections, governing under a rotation coalition agreement that lasted just over a year.
Bennett also said that, alongside Lapid, they would “strengthen a close-knit, good and inclusive Judaism, without coercion”.
However, he added that they would rely only on Zionist parties, excluding Arab-led parties from their alliance.
Drop in Netanyahu’s popularity
Bennett and Lapid’s joint move has been welcomed by some politicians, particularly as Netanyahu faces widespread criticism over his decisions in recent years, especially during the latest war with Iran.
He also faces ongoing corruption charges, which he denies, and has pushed controversial judicial reforms. These moves have eroded support among allies and fuelled sustained opposition.
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Perhaps most damaging for many Israelis was Netanyahu’s failure to prevent the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas from Gaza, which left more than 1,100 people dead.
Gadi Eisenkot, former chief of the general staff of the Israeli military and head of the Yashar party, welcomed the alliance.
“I see Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid as partners and I will continue to do the right thing responsibly and wisely to achieve the victory and change needed for the State of Israel. Fixing Israel is my life’s mission and I am determined to fulfill it,” he said.
A survey by the Institute for National Security Studies in August 2025 found that 76 percent of Israelis had lost trust in Netanyahu’s government, which has been in power since the end of 2022.
His declining popularity has continued this year, with polls earlier this month showing reduced support for his Likud party amid a temporary ceasefire with Iran announced by US President Donald Trump earlier this month.
Netanyahu is wanted for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza under an arrest warrant brought by the International Criminal Court.