Bennett and Lapid form unlikely alliance in bid to oust Netanyahu

Former Israeli Prime Ministers Bennett and Lapid Announce Alliance Renewal

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have announced their intention to form an alliance, which will be rebranded as the “Together” party under Bennett’s leadership. The two politicians held a joint press conference in Herzliya on Sunday, where they outlined their plans for the new party.

According to a recent poll published by the Jerusalem Post, the combined total of Bennett and Lapid’s former parties would likely win four fewer seats than the current alliance if they were running separately. The new bloc is also projected to have one seat fewer than Netanyahu’s Likud Party.

The Bennett-Lapid alliance has its roots in their previous partnership in 2021, which resulted in the formation of an unusually broad coalition spanning multiple political parties and including a party representing Palestinian citizens of Israel for the first time in Israeli government. The agreement included rotating the premiership between the two leaders.

Analysts have noted that the administration achieved some notable successes during its tenure, including stabilizing governance and passing an overdue budget. However, the government ultimately collapsed in 2022 due to internal disagreements and defections from Bennett’s bloc.

The new alliance has been met with skepticism by some, particularly regarding its potential impact on Palestinians. Both Bennett and Lapid have expressed support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, although they have occasionally taken issue with how these actions were prosecuted.

A recent statement by Bennett reiterated his opposition to a Palestinian state, while Lapid had previously paid lip service to the idea of a two-state solution. The inclusion of a party representing Palestinian citizens of Israel in the previous government is being reversed, with Bennett now advocating for “Zionist” parties only.

Reactions from Palestinian rights organizations have been critical of the new alliance, with some arguing that it will perpetuate racism and delegitimize the Arab vote.

Source: Al Jazeera