Naftali Bennett

The cultural tide has turned harder than the political class wants to admit, and it has turned in a direction Bennett’s new vehicle was not built to ride.

Ben Ari, who serves as the opposition coordinator in the Knesset, described the merger as “an amazing thing” and said it has given hope to many citizens in the country.

Bennett unveiled in a Wednesday interview with The Jerusalem Post his plan to bring one million new olim to Israel over the next decade.

Gantz also released a campaign video calling for a bloc representing “all of Israel,” and argued that Bennett and Lapid were focused on internal leadership battles.

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.

Analyzing the Bennett-Lapid alliance presents several plausible scenarios.

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.

The poll marks a shift after four consecutive surveys in which the opposition bloc held 61 seats without relying on Arab parties. It now falls to 59 seats, while the coalition rises from 49 to 51.

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.

Members of the Netanyahu-led coalition and the opposition reacted to Bennett and Lapid's announcement that the two will form a joint list for the 2026 Knesset elections.