Full Breakdown
Naftali Bennett Re-enters Israeli Politics with a New Platform and Alliance
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Return to Politics and the B’Yachad-Yesh Atid Merger
After a two-year hiatus, former prime minister Naftali Bennett has re-entered the political arena, now heading the B’Yachad party. In April, B’Yachad merged with Yair Lapid’s centrist Yesh Atid, positioning Bennett as the alliance’s lead candidate. The partnership emphasizes uniting the opposition for the first elections scheduled after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Bennett, who previously led a short-lived rotation government with Lapid in 2021, previously broke a promise to voters by joining an Arab party, Ra’am, in a coalition; he now states that any post-October 7 coalition with Arab factions is “no longer viable.”
Policy Platform and Reform Proposals
Bennett’s revived agenda combines liberal economic measures with a hard-right security stance. Key elements include:
- Drafting a written Israeli constitution.
- Promoting market competition to lower living costs.
- Expanding transportation infrastructure.
- Investing in artificial-intelligence research for technology and defense.
On social policy, Bennett draws a red line against forming a coalition with ultra-Orthodox (haredi) parties and proposes cutting state funding for haredi institutions that do not teach a core curriculum. His education plan would require 60 % of study time to cover Hebrew, English, mathematics, civics, Torah studies, and Zionist heritage, leaving the remaining 40 % to community-determined subjects. He also calls for a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the October 7 massacres.
Political Landscape and Polling Trends
Within the opposition bloc, Bennett’s stance diverges from Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who supports draft exemptions for up to 30 % of haredi conscripts, whereas Bennett advocates zero exemptions. Polling cited by the source places the Bennett-Lapid alliance at roughly 14 Knesset seats, trailing Eisenkot’s Yashar, which has overtaken Likud as Netanyahu’s principal challenger. Bennett remains optimistic, describing a “Bennett formula” that hinges on changing leadership.
Outlook and Prospects
Bennett has signaled that establishing the inquiry commission and implementing his reform agenda will be among his first priorities if his alliance wins power. While the alliance has lost ground since the merger, Bennett’s history of political comebacks—most notably his rise from a failed 2019 bid to the premiership in 2021—suggests he will continue to be a pivotal figure in the upcoming election cycle.
