Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett Challenges Netanyahu With 'Together' Coalition

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and opposition leader Yair Lapid have launched their "Together" opposition coalition with the aim of defeating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel's parliamentary elections this fall.

The Details: The coalition held a major launch rally in Tel Aviv on May 12. So far, it has campaigned on national unity, military service reform, and government accountability after the October 7 attacks. The May 12 rally focused heavily on rebuilding Israeli society after years of political division, war, and internal tensions. Bennett called for the establishment of a constitution based on Israel's Declaration of Independence and proposed major reforms to its education systems. Recent polling has shown Together and Netanyahu's Likud party running closely, with both expected to remain short of a governing majority without additional coalition partners. Bennett and Lapid previously formed a coalition and defeated Netanyahu in 2021, though the 12-party coalition fell apart by 2022.

Military Service and Coalition Tensions: Military service has become a politically divisive issue in Israel following the October 7 attacks. Most Israeli citizens are required to serve in the military, though many ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students receive exemptions for religious study. The issue has increasingly strained Netanyahu's coalition, which relies on ultra-Orthodox parties that oppose broader enlistment requirements. Bennett has attempted to frame mandatory service as both a national security issue and a broader question of civic responsibility and national unity. 

Post-Oct 7 Accountability: Netanyahu has faced criticism from political opponents and some voters who argue he has not taken sufficient responsibility for the security failures surrounding the attacks. Bennett and Lapid have connected their campaign to promises of greater government accountability, proposing a state commission of inquiry into the attacks and the government's response. 

How The Media Covered It: Several outlets from the left and center covered the coalition during this past week after the rally, though previously, when it was announced in April, outlets from the right also covered the news. The Washington Post (Lean Left) framed the alliance largely through the lens of voter frustration with Netanyahu after Oct. 7 and years of political instability. Its coverage described Bennett and Lapid as offering voters "a conservative, hawkish vision that carries echoes of Netanyahu, but none of his baggage," emphasizing the coalition's attempt to present a less divisive version of right-wing leadership. Several Israeli outlets, including The Jerusalem Post (Center), The Times of Israel (Center), and Haaretz (Lean Left), focused more heavily on coalition viability, polling, military service tensions, and the political leverage of ultra-Orthodox parties inside Netanyahu's government. The Jerusalem Post highlighted Bennett's focus on national unity and domestic reform. Qatari outlet Al Jazeera (Lean Left) focused more heavily on whether Bennett represents a meaningful ideological shift from Netanyahu on Palestinian issues. It quoted a political analyst who said the race won't "necessarily resolve broader ideological divisions within Israeli politics.

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