Gallant denies meeting Bennett to discuss potential joint run

By Sam Sokol 18 December 2024, 8:19 pm

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Sam 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"

Yoav Gallant attends a plenum session on the opening day of the Knesset's winter session, in Jerusalem, October 28, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has reportedly met with Likud lawmaker Yoav Gallant to discuss the possibility of a joint run in the next elections.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, Gallant, who was recently ousted as defense minister by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, believes that he does not have a future in his party.

Gallant tweets that Kan’s report “is false and devoid of any basis — I am a member of the Likud movement and will remain so.” He adds that he has “not spoken or met with Naftali Bennett since we served in the same government many years ago, and I have no intention of joining him.”

Earlier this month, National Unity MK Matan Kahana confirmed meeting with Bennett, stating that he had tried to convince him to join Benny Gantz’s party.

“I think this is the right thing for the State of Israel, and I will continue to work to make it happen,” he wrote, while affirming his loyalty to Gantz and the National Unity party.

Kahana previously served as both MK and minister for Bennett’s Yamina and New Right parties.

Gantz downplayed the rumors, according to the Maariv daily: “Naftali Bennett is a worthy man, I’ve met with him many times. Matan Kahana is his friend, but there’s nothing political on the agenda.”