KESHET NEEV

Economist Shaul Meridor, former director-general at Israel’s Energy Ministry and head of the Budget Division, joined Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar! Party, pledging to help lead a deep reform in Israel.

The invitation follows Sunday’s announcement by Bennett and Lapid of their new unified party, Together, during which they also publicly called on Eisenkot to join them.

The Otzma Yehudit party, known for its far-right stance, has recently polled at around eight seats, making it a key player in Netanyahu’s coalition.

Eisenkot said he reached out on Monday to the parties he described as the “Hope Bloc” follwing the political merger of former prime ministers Bennett and Lapid.

Space has been left for Yashar! leader Gadi Eisenkot to join the former prime ministers' merger as well, Bennett’s office told The Jerusalem Post.

Hotovely, who served as Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom between 2020 and 2025, was unanimously approved by the government.

The left-wing Democrats Party is composed of the Labor and Meretz parties, which merged in 2024. Dabush is expected to run for one of the reserved Meretz slots on the party’s list.

“Anyone who says ‘later’ about investigating the October 7 massacre means ‘never,” Bennett said.

In past efforts by Israel to expand control in the West Bank, the US has called for maintaining stability in the area, adding that US President Donald Trump has not backed total annexation.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett told The Jerusalem Post that while Israel remembers those who were lost, it also embraces the families who sacrificed “what was most precious to them."