Naftali Bennett's Yachad Party Recruits Tech Executive

Naftali Bennett's Yachad party announced Wednesday that Matti Gil, a prominent biotechnology entrepreneur, will join its slate for Israel's 26th Knesset. Gil currently serves as the party's high-tech division chief and brings extensive experience in the biotechnology sector as founding CEO of AION Labs.

The recruitment is part of Bennett's ongoing effort to strengthen his party's roster with candidates who have professional credentials and practical achievements. In recent weeks, former Communications Minister Eitan Ginzburg also joined Yachad after leaving Benny Gantz's Blue and White party.

Gil currently leads AION Labs, a startup studio focused on discovering and developing pharmaceuticals using artificial intelligence. Under his leadership, the company has launched 10 new startups in just four years. Before that, he held senior management positions at Teva, Israel's pharmaceutical giant.

Earlier in his career, Gil served as chief of staff to then-Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter. During a briefing at the Gaza border with the minister, Gil was wounded in a shooting attack by Hamas terrorists. A lieutenant colonel in the reserves, he was among the founders of the joint command center established between the Israel Defense Forces and the U.S. military's Central Command (CENTCOM), which operated in the Lebanon sector during the current Iron Swords war.

Bennett praised the new recruit: "Matti Gil is a significant addition to Israel's repair team. Matti has led major initiatives for Israeli technology over the past twenty years, and with G-d's help will lead major efforts on these issues for the state after the elections. We must ensure that the best minds remain in the country, and that Israel continues to be a technological beacon for the entire world, Matti is exactly the person who can contribute to that."

Gil explained his decision to enter politics: "After years of work in the public and private sectors, I understood that the time has come to contribute what I've learned in service of the state. Our amazing people deserve worthy leadership, the kind that will bring real, deep repair and transform Israel into the model state that my family immigrated to."

The announcement comes as Yachad faces challenges in recent polling. The latest survey published by Kan News showed the party dropping to 13 Knesset seats. Bennett is pursuing additional efforts to strengthen the slate, including contacts with Knesset member Chili Tropper about merging their lists, though those discussions have not yet matured.