Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman to discuss Israel’s ongoing crises and the urgent need for a new government to restore national resilience.
In a high-profile political meeting on Wednesday, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sat down with Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman to discuss Israel’s pressing challenges—from the ongoing war and hostage negotiations to the IDF draft, the struggling economy, and the prospect of replacing the current government.
Bennett’s team said the talks focused on “ways to replace the government as soon as possible to fix Israel.”
The meeting came just hours after Liberman sent a formal letter to opposition leader Yair Lapid, urging a joint effort to build the foundations of a new coalition. In the letter, titled “Formulating Guiding Principles for the Next Government,” Liberman called for a meeting with Lapid, Bennett, and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot to create a united front.
Liberman’s letter painted a stark picture:
“The State of Israel is currently facing security, economic, and social challenges that threaten the foundations of Israeli society. The national resilience of the state requires responsible, balanced, and united leadership… The current government has led us to ruin and brought upon us the disaster of October 7.”
He proposed drafting guiding principles centered on security, economic reform, military service, drafting a constitution, and clarifying the relationship between religion and state—while safeguarding Israel’s identity as Jewish, Zionist, democratic, and liberal.
Liberman concluded with a call for unity:
“Especially in this period, we have an obligation to take national responsibility and work together to strengthen public trust.”
The joint efforts of Bennett, Liberman, and other opposition figures signal the beginning of a potential alternative leadership bloc, aiming to rebuild confidence after one of the most devastating chapters in Israel’s history.
