Two of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's most formidable political rivals said on Sunday they were joining forces in a bid to oust his coalition government in the upcoming election expected later this year.

The former prime ministers ¡ª right-leaning?Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid ¡ª issued statements announcing the merger of their parties, ?Bennett 2026 and There is a Future.

"We are standing here together for the sake of our children. The State of Israel ?must change ?direction," Lapid said, standing alongside Bennett at a joint news conference.