From the Liveblog of
Monday, January 26, 2026
Bennett files police complaint against Likud over doctored image of him celebrating with Arab party leaders
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 Naftali Bennett’s Bennett 2026 party filed a police complaint against the ruling Likud party after it shared a manipulated image showing Bennett and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid celebrating with Arab politicians following the announcement that Arab parties would work toward reuniting in a new joint list ahead of the upcoming Knesset election.
קואליציית המשרתים pic.twitter.com/MdTigYbVkF
— הליכוד (@Likud_Party) January 22, 2026
“The Bennett 2026 party has filed a police complaint against the Likud party for malicious forgery, regarding an edited and false photo that was published on the official account of the Likud party,” Bennett’s party says in a statement — adding that the party will submit a petition to the Central Elections Committee as well.
“The State of Israel is facing a fateful election campaign, therefore it is necessary to set red lines now,” the petition continues. “We will fight every attempt to produce fake news that poisons the discourse and divides the country.”
Bennett previously included the Islamist Ra’am party in his short-lived “government of change.” He is widely seen as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s primary challenger for the premiership.
The Times of Israel Community.