Overview
- The former prime ministers, who announced the merger Sunday, said the unified list called Together will run under Naftali Bennett’s leadership.
- They pledged a state commission to examine failures around Oct. 7, a universal IDF draft that would curb ultra-Orthodox exemptions, and an eight-year term limit for prime ministers.
- Recent Israeli polls cited by multiple outlets showed Bennett close to Likud in projected seats while Yair Lapid’s party trailed, signaling a tighter race but no certain 61-seat majority yet.
- Bennett invited former army chief and Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot to join the alliance, and Eisenkot congratulated the pair without committing to the new list.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right ministers attacked the tie-up and invoked the duo’s past cooperation with an Arab party, while allies such as Avigdor Liberman praised the attempt to replace the current government.