From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Amid merger rumors, Liberman and Bennett meet in Knesset
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Former prime minister and Together chief Naftali Bennett meets with Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman in the Knesset.
“During the meeting, the two agreed to continue the dialogue and cooperation between the sides, with the goal of bringing about the replacement of the evasion government and establishing a Zionist, statesmanlike and liberal government,” the two parties announce in a statement.
Bennett’s 2026 party recently united with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid to form the Together list. Liberman, for his part, has not yet decided on joining any united list, although earlier this month, he and Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot released a joint statement that their two parties are working to expand cooperation ahead of the upcoming election.
Bennett and Eisenkot met Sunday evening and “discussed the necessary moves within the ‘correction and hope’ bloc ahead of the dissolution of the Knesset, leading it to victory, and establishing a Zionist government based on the ‘alliance of those who serve,'” a Bennett spokesperson announced earlier this week.
The Times of Israel Community.