Bennett Camp Reportedly Losing Patience With Lapid Alliance

Figures close to Naftali Bennett are reportedly voicing sharp criticism of his political alliance with Yair Lapid, with some calling the move a major political mistake.

Channel 13 political correspondent Michael Shemesh said Thursday morning that people in Bennett’s circle now view the campaign as suffering from two major problems: Lapid and strategist Lior Horev.

“In Bennett’s environment, they believe they have two attacks on the campaign,” Shemesh said in an interview with 103FM. “One is Yair Lapid, the second is Lior Horev.”

According to Shemesh, the sense around Bennett is that the political match with Lapid is not working and may be actively damaging the campaign.

“It is clear to everyone that this match is not successful,” he said. “Not only that, it is a huge political mistake. Since the joint party was formed, it has been gradually falling apart. That is why there is interest in cutting losses.”

The criticism comes as Bennett continues trying to position himself as a leading alternative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but recent polling and political movement appear to be shifting attention elsewhere in the opposition camp.

Shemesh said former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot is increasingly emerging as the central figure facing Netanyahu.

“It is pretty clear that Eisenkot is the candidate against Netanyahu,” he said.

According to Shemesh, Eisenkot showed strong political instincts by declining Bennett’s earlier offer to join him as his number two. At the time, Eisenkot was in a weaker political position, but he apparently believed he still had room to grow independently.

“He had not-bad political instincts at all,” Shemesh said. “He understood that he still had somewhere to grow. He was in a completely different place when Bennett came and offered him, ‘Come be number two.’ If he had done that, it could have been the mistake of his life.”

Shemesh argued that the latest developments now show Eisenkot is significantly stronger than Bennett by nearly every measure.

The report reflects growing instability in the anti-Netanyahu bloc, where several figures are competing to become the leading candidate for prime minister. Bennett entered the race with expectations of broad appeal, but the partnership with Lapid appears to have created tension among some of his own supporters.

For Bennett’s circle, the question now is whether the alliance can still be repaired or whether the campaign needs to separate before the political damage becomes irreversible.