Israel Election 2026: What does Naftali Bennett’s B’Yachad stand for?

B’Yachad, the alliance between former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, is one of the major opposition parties seeking to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the October 27 elections. The party combines Bennett's right-wing security stance with Lapid's centrist positions on religion and state, and proposes reforms to lower the cost of living, overhaul education, draft haredim, and streamline government.

B’Yachad, the alliance between former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, is one of the major opposition parties vying to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the October 27 elections for the 26th Knesset. Led by Bennett, with Lapid in second place, the party combines Bennett's right-wing security background with Lapid's centrist Yesh Atid party. The party offers a right-wing security stance alongside liberal positions on religion and state, and reforms aimed at lowering the cost of living and overhauling the education system. Bennett's campaign centers on rebuilding state institutions, drafting haredim, increasing economic competition, and improving Israel's international standing. His New Covenant plan proposes recruiting 20,000 additional soldiers, closing seven government ministries, and transferring authority to local government. The party's economic platform focuses on breaking up monopolies, particularly in the food sector, with a target of bringing Israeli food prices in line with the OECD average. Bennett has called for mandatory haredi enlistment and an end to state funding for draft evasion. The alliance has also committed to pursuing civil marriage and equal rights for LGBTQ+ couples. Bennett has pledged to establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre.