Together (Bennett + Yesh Atid)

Positions for the 2026 election

Together (Bennett + Yesh Atid)

Together is a joint slate of Bennett 2026 and Yesh Atid led by Naftali Bennett, with Yair Lapid sharing its leadership. It brings together the liberal centre and mainstream centre-right, emphasizing security, universal service, effective government, democratic institutions, and moderate civil reforms in religion-and-state matters.

A documented position on 28 of 30 statements

Democracy and governance

A state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7 should be established under the Commissions of Inquiry Law, with its members appointed by the President of the Supreme Court.

AgreeStrong evidence

At the launch of the Together slate, Bennett pledged to establish a state commission of inquiry on the government's first day, and Lapid again pledged to establish one within its first month. Their use of the legal term “state commission of inquiry,” alongside their rejection of the political alternative, supports the mechanism prescribed by law.

The scope of the Supreme Court's judicial review of government and Knesset decisions should be reduced.

No clear public position found

Lapid pledged to continue upholding the rule of law, and Bennett condemned the disruption of the State Comptroller selection following a High Court of Justice ruling. These are recent statements by both leaders of the slate, but they concern compliance with a specific ruling and do not resolve whether judicial review of the government or the Knesset should be curtailed. These sources do not establish an overall position on the question.

Dedicated coalition funds that are not allocated according to equitable criteria should be abolished and transferred to regular ministry budgets, even if doing so would affect existing coalition agreements.

AgreePartial evidence

Bennett and Lapid opposed the coalition-fund allocations in the 2026 budget. In late July, Yesh Atid members on the Finance Committee sought to stop additional transfers, arguing that they served political purposes during an election period. This is current opposition to the kind of allocation described in the statement, although the slate has not published a binding rule for every future budget.

Ministers and the government should be permitted to act contrary to the Attorney General's opinion as long as a court has not invalidated their decision.

DisagreePartial evidence

All 24 Yesh Atid members voted against the law, providing direct and strong evidence for the Lapid component. Bennett and his future component were not part of the parliamentary group in that vote, and no precise parallel source was found for them.

Security, diplomacy and the conflict

Israel should promote a regional-international framework for the civil administration and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the war, provided that Hamas does not control it.

AgreePartial evidence

Lapid proposed making Egypt the leading force in Gaza after Hamas, in the direction described by the statement. No detailed joint Bennett-Lapid plan for reconstruction and civilian governance was found.

Even after a civil administration is established in the Gaza Strip, Israel should retain long-term security control of Gaza's borders and freedom of military action within it.

AgreePartial evidence

Bennett explicitly said that the IDF should remain in Gaza for years to come, directly supporting a long-term security presence. No detailed joint position by both components of the slate was found, however, on control of the borders and freedom of action together.

Israel should promote a regional diplomatic initiative that also includes a pathway to a Palestinian state.

DisagreePartial evidence

Bennett defines a Palestinian state as a red line and opposes it categorically. Lapid rules out a state in the short term but does not foreclose a future horizon. The slate is not currently advancing this course, and its two components differ.

Israeli sovereignty should be applied to Area C in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).

Agree* Internal debatePartial evidence

Together's current line is in favour of the statement: Bennett heads the slate, is its prime-ministerial candidate, controls a majority of its slots, and said in June 2026 that Area C would ultimately be part of Israel. Lapid opposed irreversible steps in the West Bank, so this is an authority-and-majority determination rather than a dispute-free joint position.

Women should be integrated more broadly into all combat and command roles in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), subject to uniform professional criteria.

AgreePartial evidence

Bennett recently supported women serving in combat roles and decisions based on professional suitability, while Yesh Atid promotes equal opportunity for women in the IDF and opening roles according to ability. A detailed joint platform has not yet been published.

Israeli civilian settlement in the Gaza Strip should be renewed.

DisagreePartial evidence

Both components of Together converge against renewed Gaza settlement: in July 2026 Bennett rejected territorial ambitions and building cities in the Strip, while Lapid and Yesh Atid explicitly condemned the Gaza-settlement conference and initiative. The limitation is that no new joint platform clause uses this exact wording.

The death penalty should be imposed on anyone convicted of murder committed as part of an act of terrorism.

Internal disagreementPartial evidence

Yesh Atid as a whole voted against the death-penalty law in 2026, whereas Bennett had previously expressly supported the death penalty for perpetrators of murder in a terrorist context, whether Jewish or Palestinian. The slate has no shared position; the age of the Bennett evidence limits how firmly the joint position can be stated.

Shared service and burden

Mandatory military or civilian service should apply to all population groups, with only limited exemptions.

AgreeStrong evidence

At the launch of the joint slate, Bennett and Lapid pledged to pass a universal-service law. This is a current commitment by the slate itself on precisely this issue.

Religion, state and civic identity

Civil marriage should be available in Israel alongside religious marriage for those who choose it.

AgreeStrong evidence

After the joint slate was formed, Bennett stated that he supports marriage for anyone who wants it. Together with Yesh Atid's position, this provides a direct and current basis for the slate's position.

Rabbinical and Sharia courts should be permitted to serve as arbitrators in civil disputes when all parties freely consent.

DisagreeStrong evidence

Both components of the slate oppose the law: every Yesh Atid member voted against it, and Naftali Bennett pledged that his government would repeal it.

Public transport on Shabbat should be permitted in local authorities that choose to provide it.

AgreeStrong evidence

Bennett explicitly said that every city should be allowed to decide whether to operate public transport on Shabbat; this is also Yesh Atid's platform position.

Funding for educational institutions should be conditional on teaching a minimum core curriculum.

AgreeStrong evidence

In June 2026, Bennett set an explicit condition: a publicly funded school must teach the core curriculum.

The right to equality and the prohibition of discrimination should be explicitly entrenched in a Basic Law.

AgreePartial evidence

Yesh Atid expressly pledges to enact a Basic Law: Equality and enshrine a prohibition on discrimination in it. Ayelet Shaked and Yamina opposed the proposal in the past, but neither is a component of the current Together slate. No joint decision or precise Bennett position was found, so the sources establish support from Yesh Atid but not a shared slate position.

An Arab party that accepts the government's basic policy guidelines should be permitted to join the coalition.

Disagree* Internal debatePartial evidence

Together's current line is against the statement: Bennett, the slate leader and prime-ministerial candidate, pledged that the government would rely only on Zionist parties, and his candidates hold a majority of the slate's slots. Lapid defended the Ra'am partnership in 2026 and signed its coalition agreement, so the material component dissent is displayed explicitly.

Economy, welfare and cost of living

The tax burden on high-income earners should be increased to fund expanded social services.

DisagreePartial evidence

Together's current economic plan funds the expansion and improvement of services through cuts to political spending, competition, and tax reductions—not by raising taxes on high earners. It contains no separate high-earner tax provision.

The basket of price-controlled food products should be expanded, even if this reduces the profitability of producers and retail chains.

Disagree* Internal debatePartial evidence

Together's current line is against the statement. In June 2026 Bennett, the slate leader whose candidates hold a majority, published a cost-of-living plan based on breaking monopolies, opening imports, removing tariffs and reducing regulation—an alternative to expanding price controls. Yesh Atid previously initiated an expansion of controls to a healthy-food basket, so internal dissent remains visible.

Tariffs on imported agricultural food products should be reduced, even if this harms some farmers and domestic producers.

AgreeStrong evidence

In June 2026, Together's chair presented a plan to open the fruit and vegetable market to imports and abolish tariffs, alongside direct financial support for farmers. Its principal mechanism is the same as the statement's, and assistance to farmers does not negate the opening to imports.

Eligibility for daycare subsidies should not be determined solely by the mother's employment; whether the father works, studies, or serves should also be considered.

AgreeStrong evidence

The Bennett-Lapid government adopted an employment-or-study test for both parents, and every participating Yesh Atid member voted in 2026 against a test based only on the mother's employment. Both components of the slate support examining the father's status as well.

The VAT-exemption threshold for personal imports should be raised from $75 to $130, even if this harms local shops and businesses that compete with overseas sellers.

DisagreePartial evidence

Every Yesh Atid member who participated in the final vote opposed raising the VAT-exemption ceiling to $130. This action concerns the statement's exact threshold and mechanism, but no position was found for the Bennett component and Together has issued no joint decision.

Rights, enforcement and internal security

In exceptional cases and subject to judicial review, administrative detention should be permitted for Jewish citizens suspected of planning nationalist violence against Palestinians or the security forces, even when there is insufficient evidence for immediate criminal proceedings.

AgreeStrong evidence

Both components of the slate are represented in support of the tool: Naftali Bennett supported rare and cautious use of administrative detention against Jewish and Palestinian terrorists, while Yesh Atid's Elazar Stern opposed removing the tool for preventing Jewish terrorism. As of the review date, Stern was still officially identified as a Yesh Atid member; reports of a future move were conditional and did not materialize.

The Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law should be eased so that Palestinian spouses of Israeli citizens can obtain status after an individual security screening, instead of being subject to a blanket ban.

DisagreePartial evidence

In 2022, Yamina and Yesh Atid led and supported legislation that preserved the blanket prohibition, with limited exceptions. No explicit change was found in the new slate.

Conversion therapy for minors should be prohibited by law.

AgreeStrong evidence

In July 2026, Lapid pledged to pass a ban on conversion therapy for minors; Yesh Atid's Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu initiated the bill, and Bennett's camp expressed support for the legislative package. Both components of the slate are represented by current, direct sources.

In combating crime in Arab society, a multi-year government-led civilian program that strengthens local authorities should be preferred over relying mainly on the Shin Bet and emergency powers.

DisagreePartial evidence

Bennett's current plan defines crime as a security threat and makes a cabinet, the Shin Bet, and security tools central to the response. The slate has not yet published a detailed joint plan.

Transport and infrastructure

A congestion charge should be implemented in the Gush Dan metropolitan area, with its revenue dedicated to improving public transport, even if private-car travel during peak hours becomes more expensive.

AgreePartial evidence

The Bennett-Lapid government enacted the congestion charge and linked its revenue to additional public-transport funding. Both components of the slate participated in the action, and no later joint position contradicting it was found.

Last updated: 2026-08-26