Naftali Bennett Announces 'Israeli Renaissance' Immigration Plan and Alliance with Yair Lapid Ahead of 2026 Elections

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett unveiled his 'Israeli Renaissance' plan in a Wednesday interview with The Jerusalem Post on April 29, 2026, outlining ambitions to bring one million new immigrants, or olim, to Israel over the next decade.

The plan focuses on new immigrants from the United States, Britain and Australia, Bennett stated. He described it as opening a new chapter for Israel, leaving behind incompetence, corruption and infighting, while fostering a regional renaissance with moderate Arab states, strengthening ties with the Jewish world and improving Israel's global standing.

Bennett announced a joint list named 'Together' with Yair Lapid at a press conference in Herzliya, central Israel, on April 26, 2026. The list merges Yesh Atid and Bennett 2026 parties and is led by Naftali Bennett. Israeli elections are scheduled for no later than October 2026.

Bennett stated that Yair Lapid accepts his leadership and that he will serve as prime minister, as a man of the Right, a man of the Land of Israel, a liberal, leading a government with people from the Center and from the Right. The alliance plans to invite any Zionist party that accepts their basic guidelines to join, Bennett stated.

He added that it would be possible to form a government with a majority of 85 Knesset members or 80 members, ushering in a golden age of the Israeli renaissance.

Bennett and Lapid formed a coalition in the past, with Bennett becoming prime minister in June 2021. The past government was a rotation government that was dissolved one year after its formation. Yair Lapid served as prime minister after the dissolution until Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power in the 2022 election.

The new agreement between Bennett and Lapid includes no rotation, with Bennett holding the prime minister position for the entire term. The full agreement between Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid has not been published yet. Bennett stated that the past government accomplished in one year what other governments did not accomplish in four, and that the past coalition supported the government for about thirteen months.

Bennett has been working over the past year and a half to create plans to accelerate the State of Israel in all areas, he stated. The plans focus on improving the economy, AI, education and transportation. Bennett stated he would establish a state commission of inquiry into government failures during the October 7 Hamas attack on the first day in office.

He also stated he would limit the term of a prime minister to eight years on the first day in office and close seven unnecessary government ministries on the first day in office. One flagship plan is integrating the ultra-Orthodox into employment and into military or national service, Bennett stated.

Another flagship plan is forming an excellent education system for all Israeli children, addressing a shortage of teachers and good principals.

Bennett stated he reduced the number of murders in Israel by 30% within one year during his previous term as prime minister. Crime has doubled compared to the time when he was prime minister, he stated. The first additions to Bennett’s current list were former government director-generals Keren Terner and Liran Avisar Ben Horin.

Bennett said he was forming his party built on professionals, adding tongue in cheek that Israel’s citizens will have to get used to a new reality where government ministers understand their fields. Bennett said Israel's international standing is currently a catastrophe, especially in the United States, where not only the Democratic public is hostile to Israel, but now significant parts of the Republican public are as well.

He stated he will take personal leadership on strengthening Israel’s global standing.

Speaking of the alliance, Bennett said it should bring hope to the people of Israel because they are thirsty for alliances and cooperation even between people whose views are not identical. He referred to Abraham Lincoln, quoting that a house divided cannot stand, and said that if united, they will win a great victory and save Israel from chaos.

Bennett said there is a surge in murders in the State of Israel, with the Negev completely abandoned and effectively taken over in parts, and a sharp increase in murder cases.

He stated he will take personal responsibility as prime minister, as he did last time, with a broader plan to dismantle the three major organized crime groups in Israel and restore security to the streets. Another flagship area would focus on improving transportation and traffic congestion, which Bennett said is currently a real catastrophe, like a third-world country in this regard.

He said the education system is in serious decline, and they will carry out a major reform.

Bennett acknowledged that after about thirteen months, the coalition that supported his past government did not hold, but this time he is creating a governing alternative to the coalition of Netanyahu, Deri, Smotrich, Ben-Gvir and Goldknopf. He said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the police, is a clown, and that is what they are coming to fix.

@Jerusalem_Post reported that the move to run together could reshape the direction of the elections.

It remains unclear how the opposition bloc will secure a majority without the Arab parties, with whom they have pledged not to form a government.