Success of Bennett-Lapid merger hinges on Eisenkot role in race
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 27 April 2026
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
Political correspondents Sam Sokol and Ariela Karmal join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
Sokol reports on the Sunday announcement of a joint campaign and list for former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid ahead of the 2026 elections, under Bennett's stewardship.
Karmel and Sokol discuss that Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is not part of the campaign and list, given his own entry into the 2026 race, that his decisions will test the fortunes of the Bennett-Lapid bloc.
Members of the Likud party and government coalition reacted to the announcement, reports Sokol, and he and Karmel discuss the possible Likud B breakaway party that would offer an alternative right-wing option.
Karmel and Sokol also discuss that the government coalition is dismissive of the Bennett-Lapid merger, reviewing the comments and memes immediately circulated about the two politicians and their announcement.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Launching joint slate, Bennett and Lapid promise ‘the era of division is over’
Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid announce united run under Bennett in 2026 elections
Bennett-Lapid reunion jolts electoral race, but path to unseating Netanyahu elusive as ever
Eisenkot welcomes Bennett-Lapid union but says: To win, we need to bring in more votes
Backing public transit on Shabbat, Bennett steers campaign into jammed center lane
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.
IMAGE: Political correspondents Ariela Karmel and Sam Sokol joins host Jessica Steinberg on today's Daily Briefing (ToI)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hi, welcome to the Times and Visuals Daily Briefing. It's Monday, April 27th. I'm Jessica Steinberg. I'm speaking today with our political correspondence, Sam Sokol and Arella Carmel. How are you both? Good morning. Good morning. |
| 0:16.9 | Hi, Jess. Hey there. The two of you had a very busy afternoon and evening last night, which we'll get to in a moment. |
| 0:25.1 | Just a couple of the headlines that are on the top of our page right now. |
| 0:29.0 | Talks between Iran and the U.S. |
| 0:32.0 | Sirens sounded in the Western Galilee today because of a suspected Chazbala drone. |
| 0:39.4 | But we will turn to what Sam and Ariela have been covering since, I think, yesterday afternoon, namely the announced |
| 0:47.0 | reunion of Naftali Bennett and Yaiir Lapid in the upcoming 26 elections. We'll talk about |
| 0:54.0 | the announcement, the reactions, the likely results of this decision. |
| 0:59.1 | More about this joint slate. All of it from Arellella and Sam. In just a moment, stay with us. Is Israeli-Palestinian peace still possible? |
| 1:16.4 | Or did October 7th irreversibly shatter a peace process already on life support? |
| 1:21.5 | On unpacking Israeli history, host Noam Weissman sits down with Israeli-Australian educator |
| 1:27.1 | and intrepid Pisnith, |
| 1:29.2 | Itai Flesher, author of The Holy and the Broken, for a conversation that goes right to the heart |
| 1:35.2 | of this discomforting question. |
| 1:37.3 | Itai has spent his life building bridges across one of the world's most unbridgeable divides, |
| 1:42.1 | and he still thinks it can be done. |
| 1:44.0 | Noam isn't so sure. Join them as they tackle the subject with the unbridgeable divides. And he still thinks it can be done. Noam isn't so sure. |
| 1:45.9 | Join them as they tackle the subject |
| 1:47.4 | with the unflinching honesty |
| 1:48.8 | and embrace of complexity |
| 1:50.2 | that this podcast has become famous for. |
| 1:53.0 | What does peace mean right now? |
... |
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