Netanyahu’s rivals are joining forces. Would they shift Israel’s security policy?

Jerusalem –

Two of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s top rivals announced they would join forces in an upcoming election to oust his coalition government, with a focus mainly on domestic ⁠issues such as military conscription for the ultra-Orthodox.

But on issues like Iran, Gaza and Lebanon, the joint party led by right-leaning Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid is expected to pursue a security posture similar to that of Netanyahu — who heads the most right-leaning government in Israel’s history — meaning Israel’s foreign policy would remain largely unchanged.

The new party, called “BeYachad” meaning “together” in Hebrew, has not released a formal policy platform. But below is what is known about their positions on regional conflicts, based on recent public comments.