Facing sharp shifts in the seat projections and losing their lead in the camp to former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid held their first joint campaign headquarters meeting on Sunday evening. The goal was to align positions and stop the continued strengthening of their main rival from the left.
The meeting took place as pressure mounted inside both campaigns after recent polls showed a drop in their strength and a transfer of leadership in the bloc to Eisenkot. The main aim, according to the report, was to present a united front and prevent further leakage of votes.
During the closed meeting, Bennett’s senior strategist, Lior Chorev, set out the bloc’s new campaign line. He addressed the many activists in attendance and warned against internal fighting that could drive away potential voters.
Chorev delivered the message bluntly, saying, “We do not attack Eisenkot.” He argued that attacking the former army chief could backfire politically on the Bennett-Lapid camp.
