Eisenkot rejects Bennett’s offer to unite parties, says he won’t serve as ‘number two’

“I believe in myself, I know the kind of leadership I bring, and I see myself as a very strong candidate,” Eisenkot said in a Saturday evening Channel 12 interview.

“I didn’t leave Benny Gantz as a number two just to become Naftali Bennett’s number two,” he added.

During Eisenkot’s interview, he also addressed the claim that he had been hesitant to respond to Bennett’s proposal to merge, which was offered about six months ago.

“He received a ‘no’ as an answer immediately,” Eisenkot said about Bennett’s offer.

Eisenkot added that he founded his party to bring “different leadership” and a worldview that Israeli society needs.

Following Eisenkot’s remarks, Bennett called on him to unite regardless in a party statement released Saturday evening.

“Israel needs unity that will bring about a major victory,” the Bennett 2026 Party statement said.

It added that half a year ago, a “generous offer” had been presented to Eisenkot to join Bennett.

“Bennett will not allow the mistake of fragmentation to happen again, and the public will not forgive those who prevent victory.”

“Gadi, let’s unite and win,” the statement concluded.

Earlier this month, Bennett shared a post on X/Twitter citing a study by the Midgam company claiming that a unified party with Eisenkot, under Bennett, would win the elections.

Eisenkot had previously proposed forming a unified list with Bennett and opposition leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid Party in January.

That proposal aimed to secure enough seats to defeat Netanyahu’s Likud. However, no public progress on such a merger had been reported.

Lapid responded Saturday evening to both Eisenkot and Bennett’s remarks,  criticizing the two for conducting merger negotiations in public.

“I’m calling on Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot. As someone who, in recent years, has carried out some of the biggest political mergers in Israeli history, all these discussions on television about who is number one and who is number two only cause damage. This is not how you create unifications,” Lapid said.

“We’ll handle this quietly, at the right time, and as far away as possible from cameras and reporters.”

Lapid reiterated his criticism during a Sunday press conference at the Knesset, warning that public negotiations could harm the opposition bloc’s chances of defeating Netanyahu.

“I want to say from here to my two colleagues: what is this for? Why are you conducting this on television? Why are you arguing in the media? Please, I ask you, stop this now,” he said.

“At the right moment, in the right format, we will make all the necessary alliances,” he added.

“The reason they succeeded is that I did them as far away as possible from television cameras. The media didn’t know what was happening until everything was finalized.”

Warning against Netanyahu’s election tactics, Lapid said, “We are facing a dangerous, unrestrained, experienced rival who will stop at nothing.

“We are facing a machine of incitement that has been built over the years. Against Benjamin Netanyahu, one must not be complacent. Self-confidence is important, but anyone who does not understand the dangers will not be able to achieve victory, and anyone who plays ego games harms that victory.”

Lapid has also recently asserted that only his Yesh Atid party would be successful in forming a government and coordinating with the opposition.

Bennett, who served as prime minister beginning in June 2021, led a rotation government with Lapid. He then stepped away from political life after his coalition’s ultimate collapse.

In April, Bennett took a major step in his political comeback ahead of the elections by officially registering his new party, Bennett 2026.

Eisenkot announced the formation of his Yashar! Party in September.

Since launching Yashar!, speculation has circulated about Eisenkot’s intentions, with many viewing the move as strategic positioning ahead of potential mergers among opposition parties.

Forming joint electoral lists is a well-established practice in Israeli politics. In recent elections, alliances such as Hadash-Ta’al and United Torah Judaism entered the Knesset. The latter has united Agudat Yisrael and Degel Hatorah since 1992.

However, such alliances are often temporary. For example, the National Unity Party, uniting Gantz’s Blue and White with Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope, split in 2024.

By contrast, full party mergers are relatively rare, though in 2024 the Labor and Meretz parties merged to form The Democrats Party.