Yurai Lehav Herzon Says the LGBTQ Community Should Back Bennett, Notable New Alliances Still Possible

Yesh Atid MK Yurai Lehav Herzon said on Thursday in an interview with ynet that the upcoming election is the most consequential yet, and argued that his party has backed a veteran right-wing leader, Naftali Bennett, whom he says is the only one capable of defeating Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking during Pride Month, he said he has full confidence in Bennett, including on liberal issues.

Lehav Herzon said Bennett’s shift reflects a broader change in Israeli society toward the LGBTQ community, including within the religious-Zionist public, which he said mostly supports equality. He urged LGBTQ voters to support Bennett, saying there is an opportunity in the next government to pass equality legislation. He added that such laws are not optional under the current government, which he described as being set by a “gang of extreme, fundamentalist Kahanists.”

He said the current unity government has done the most for the LGBTQ community in Israel’s history, crediting a Supreme Court ruling and the government’s regulations for enabling him to become a father to his daughter, Naomi. Lehav Herzon also said he expects any LGBTQ-related legislation sponsored by Yesh Atid and Yachad to pass all three Knesset readings, and warned that LGBTQ voters will settle accounts with homophobic politicians at the ballot box.

On possible political mergers, he said he is speaking with everyone and that Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party is one option. He also said the Democrats are relevant to a broad alliance because they support LGBTQ rights, adding that more mergers are still ahead and that the goal is to “save Israel.”