Naftali Bennett's rivalry with Netanyahu
Naftali Bennett shares Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the Middle East conflict, but the two have had tense relations over the years.
Naftali served as Netanyahu’s chief of staff for two years, but they parted ways after a mysterious falling-out that Israeli media linked to Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, who wields great influence over her husband’s inner circle.
Bennett campaigned as a right-wing stalwart ahead of the March elections and signed a pledge on national TV saying he would never allow Yair Lapid - Netanyahu’s main rival, to become Prime Minister.
But when it became clear Netanyahu was unable to form a ruling coalition, that’s exactly what Bennett did, agreeing to serve as Prime Minister for two years before handing power to Lapid.
Netanyahu’s supporters brand Bennett a traitor, saying he defrauded voters. Bennett has defended his decision as a pragmatic move aimed at unifying the country and avoiding a fifth round of elections.
Naftali Bennett replaces Netanyahu as PM
On June 13, 2021, the Israeli Parliament voted in a new government ending the country's longest-serving prime minister, Netanyahu’s record 12-year long regime. The 120-member Israel’s Knesset voted in favour of the 8-party coalition and chose Naftali Bennett to remove Netanyahu. As a part of the agreement, Bennett is expected to stay on as PM till 2023 after which Yair Lapid is expected to take over.
Naftali Bennett - Life before politics
Before politics, Bennett joined the Israel Defense Forces in 1990 and served in the special forces units, commanding combat operations. Bennett served during the First Intifada and in the Israeli security zone in Lebanon.
Post defense, he became a software entrepreneur. He co-founded the US company Cyota in 1999, operating in the anti-fraud space. Bennett also served as CEO of Soluto, an Israeli cloud computing service. The Forbes Israel, in June 2021 issue, reported that he is expected to make $5 million from his investment in the American fintech company Payoneer, which is set to be listed in Nasdaq.
Naftali Bennett under Netanyahu's rule
Under Netanyahu, he served as Minister of Economy and Religious Services from 2013 to 2015 and as Minister of Education from 2015 to 2019.
Naftali Bennett takes charge as PM
On June 13, 2021, he was sworn in as Israel PM after agreeing to a rotation government with Yair Lapid. Bennett will serve as prime minister until 2023, after which Lapid would assume the role until 2025.
The formation of the new government ended the political impasse in Israel that saw four elections in less than two years leading to inconclusive results.
Bennett's personal life
Born in Israel's Haifa, the 49-year-old politician is a son of immigrants who moved to the country from San Francisco in 1967.
According to reports, he is often labelled an ultra-nationalist, described himself as "more right-wing" than Netanyahu. Naftali Bennett is outspoken in his advocacy of Israel as the Jewish nation-state and Jewish historical and religious claims to the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Syrian Golan Heights.
Naftali Bennett's view on Israel-Palestine conflict
He has rejected the idea of the creation of a Palestinian state - the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict advocated by the international community, including US President Joe Biden.
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