In Israel, former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have united against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and formed a new party ‘Together’. The aim of both the leaders is to change power in the upcoming elections and strengthen the opposition.
Tel Aviv: Israel’s politics is once again going through a period of major change. The country’s two former prime ministers—Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid—have decided to once again form a political front against current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Both the leaders have announced that they will form a new party by combining their political forces, which has been named “Together”. Its main objective is to challenge Netanyahu, who has been in power for a long time.
Trying to repeat the success of 2021
This is not the first time Bennett and Lapid have teamed up. In the year 2021, both of them formed a historic coalition government by uniting parties with different ideologies.
At that time he had ousted Netanyahu, who had been in power for almost 12 years. This alliance was considered a major turning point in Israeli politics.
However, this government could not last long and the Parliament was dissolved in 2022 due to political instability. In the elections held thereafter, Netanyahu again returned to power.
Strategy of new party ‘Together’
Bennett will lead the new party “Together” and will also be its prime ministerial candidate.
- The main goals of this alliance are:
- unite the opposition
- prevent division of votes
Presenting a strong alternative against Netanyahu
Lapid’s party believes that the opposition votes in Israel are scattered, which needs to be brought together to influence the election results.
Different political thinking of Bennett and Lapid
Although both the leaders are coming together, their ideologies are quite different.
Naftali Bennett’s thinking
- Right-wing and nationalist leaders
- Supporters of Jewish settlements in the West Bank
- Top priority for security
- Stance against the formation of the state of Palestine
Yair Lapid’s thinking
- liberal and secular leader
- Popular among middle class and urban voters
- Advocate of practical and balanced foreign policy
- Emphasis on dialogue and political agreement
Reason for breaking of alliance in 2022
The government formed in 2021 was a mix of parties with different ideologies, including right-wing, left-wing, centrist and an Arab party.
There were deep differences between them on issues like security, Palestine policy and settlements. Gradually political disagreements increased and the government became unstable.
Ultimately the two leaders decided to dissolve parliament, leading to new elections and the return of Netanyahu.
Political equations and election strategy
Experts believe that this new alliance can bring significant changes in Israeli politics.
If Bennett and Lapid are joined by former military chief Gadi Eiseenkot, the opposition could become stronger.
According to surveys, this alliance could reach around 38 seats, making it the largest political group in Parliament.
economic and political benefits
Both the leaders will also get strategic benefits from this alliance:
- Increase in election funding
- Integration of different vote banks
- Access to both security and middle class voters
- Concentration of anti-Netanyahu votes
The government funds received by parties in Israel are decided on the basis of seats in the Parliament, hence this alliance is also considered economically important.
Will Netanyahu be challenged?
Although this coalition appears strong, Israel’s political structure is complex. It is not easy to achieve majority in a Parliament with 120 seats.
According to experts, the biggest impact of this alliance could be psychological. If the public feels that the opposition is united, then the voting percentage may increase.
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