Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has officially registered a new political party under the interim name “Bennett 2026,” a move widely interpreted as a step toward reentering Israeli politics ahead of the next national election. In a statement cited by Channel 12, Bennett stopped short of confirming his candidacy, saying, “If and when I decide to actually run for the elections, an announcement will be made on the matter.” Despite the ambiguity, the move drew support from figures across the political spectrum. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, who previously served alongside Bennett in a short-lived unity government, congratulated him on the new party. “Israel needs a good government,” Lapid wrote on social media. Reports of Bennett’s return have circulated for months. Channel 12 revealed last September that the former national-religious leader had been laying the groundwork for a new political movement, reaching out to more than 100 former activists. He has also held meetings with key political players, including New Hope chairman Gideon Sa’ar and Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman, both of whom have acknowledged discussions about a potential alliance. “To replace this government, we need more seats,” Liberman said last October. “If we see in the polls that running together will bring more seats, we will run together.” Bennett, who previously led the now-defunct Yamina party, has been out of office since 2022 when his ideologically diverse coalition government collapsed. That coalition briefly ended Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s 12-year hold on power and was heralded as a rare moment of unity in Israel’s politically fractured landscape. However, Bennett recently indicated a different approach should he return to office. Speaking to a private audience of U.S. students in March, he said that any future government he leads would not include Arab parties. “This time around, the government must be Zionists,” he said. According to a recent Channel 12 poll, Bennett may pose the most significant electoral threat to Netanyahu. In a direct matchup, 38% of respondents said Bennett was better suited to serve as prime minister, compared to 31% for Netanyahu. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)