Israel's election race is underway after two former prime ministers, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, merged their parties under Bennett's leadership. The new coalition aims to replace Binyamin Netanyahu's government, which has been plagued by costly wars, corruption allegations, and constitutional turmoil.
The opposition faces a tough challenge, with polls suggesting they lack the votes needed to win another majority. However, the coalition has one clear advantage: it remains largely united behind Netanyahu. The opposition, on the other hand, is divided and boasts multiple would-be prime ministers.
Bennett and Lapid, who have a history of working together, are seeking to build a wider bloc to take down Netanyahu. They have ruled out including Arab parties in any future coalition, which may alienate more ideological supporters. The pair hopes to lessen the fragmentation of the anti-Netanyahu camp and draw in at least one more partner to have a decent chance of coming first in the election.
The new party, called 'Together', will focus on holding Netanyahu's coalition accountable for various failures, including the Hamas attacks of October 2023. They will also criticize him for allowing ultra-Orthodox allies to remain exempt from military service, a sore issue for many Israelis.
