Following the announcement by former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid of their parties’ merger ahead of the upcoming elections, the return of the “covenant of brothers” can be declared.
Talks between the two were long, intense, and crowded, taking place over several weeks. Those who spoke with them during this period heard many mutual compliments, although without understanding the hint as to their upcoming plan.
Bennett updated Yashar! Party leader Gadi Eisenkot in advance, and as far as it is known, Eisenkot was surprised.
Bennett views this as a “semi-final” move, ahead of a final showdown against current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, taking responsibility for the coalition agreement between them, which is flexible and leaves significant room for Eisenkot’s entry. In the case of Eisenkot joining, the leadership will consist of Bennett, Eisenkot, and then Lapid.
This move can be called the “Magyar Model,” in the style of the Hungarian shift: all the opponents of Viktor Orban, including leftists and liberals, united under a liberal right-wing candidate.
A weakness of the move could be its imperfect timing, which diverts attention from Netanyahu’s concealed illness. People will be exposed to the “poison machine” too early, which will attempt to drive Bennett’s supporters away because of Lapid, and Lapid’s supporters away because of Bennett. Time will tell.
Bennett and Lapid announced that they would hold a joint press conference on Sunday night to announce the merger of their parties, four years after the dissolution of their previous government – the “Change Government.” They also announced that the name of the new party will be “Together,” led by Bennett. Sources in the united party emphasize that at this stage, they are leaving the door open for Eisenkot’s inclusion, including spots on the list.
Bennett’s statement said: “Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid will announce the first step in the process of repairing the State of Israel: the merger of the ‘Yesh Atid’ party and the ‘Bennett 2026’ party into a united party led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.”
“The move brings the ‘Repair Bloc’ together, ending internal battles and allowing all efforts to be invested in securing a decisive victory in the upcoming elections and leading Israel to the necessary repair,” the statement also said.
Source:
www.jpost.com
