He is a self-made tech billionaire, a former commando and also a protégé of Benhamin Netanyahu. He is also a torch-bearer of Israel’s religious right group who feels that the creation of Palestine state would be suicidal for Israel. And in spite of being chosen as the man to replace Netanyahu – Israel’s longest serving prime minister – Naftali Bennett – knows that the task is cut out for him. In spite of political differences, Bennett has the highest regard for Netanyahu; he has christened his first son ‘Yoni’ after Netanyahu’s brother. Yoni was killed in an Israeli raid to free hijacked passengers at Uganda’s Entebbe airport in 1976.
The son of American immigrants, Bennett, 49, is a generation younger than 71-year-old Netanyahu. He has said he has only one goal. He is joining forces with some of his former political opponents to save Israel from political disaster.
Bennett knows that he will have limited time in his hand. His party trailed way behind both Netanyahu’s and Yair Lapid’s in the last election. As per the terms and agreement between parties opposed to Netanyahu returning to power, Bennett will be Israel’s prime minister for a fixed time before handing over the reins to Lapid, a centrist politician.
Bennett was born in Haifa, Israel, to American Jewish immigrants. Like his predecessor, he spent some of his formative years in the US. Currently he resides in the Israel’s city of Raanana which is a suburb of the national capital Tel Aviv. He leads an affluent life with his wife and four children.
Initially Bennett started working in the tech industry in the US. By 1999, he had built his own small software empire in New York. However, he longed to return to Israel. So in 2005, he reportedly sold his software company for USD 145 million to a US security company and returned to Israel.
Thus began his political career.
Bennett entered Israeli politics in 2006 and served as a senior aid to Netanyahu until 2008. However, soon differences grew between the two and he left on bad terms.
After departing the government, Bennett headed the ‘Yesha Council’. This is the main Israeli settler movement in the occupied West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967. Palestinians however, also claims that West Bank belong to them. There have been frequent skirmishes between Israel and Palestine over who is the rightful owner of the West Bank.
Bennett made a mark in Israeli politics in 2013. He revamped the far-right ‘Jewish Home’ party. More importantly he served as minister of defence as well as of education and economy in various Netanyahu governments.
In 2018, Bennett teamed up with Ayelet Shaked, another firebrand of right-wing Israeli politics, to form the ‘New Right’ party. However, the party failed to acquire the number of seats required to enter Israel’s parliament.
Things, however, changed in the latest elections in March this year. Bennett’s ‘Yamina’ party, an integral component of ‘New Right’ won six of 120 available seats. It gave Bennett’s party to enter the Israel parliament. More importantly it catapulted him to be a contender for the prime minister’s chair which he is all set to occupy now.
Israel, however, is deeply polarised along pro-and anti-Netanyahu lines. Since Bennett made his announcement Sunday, protesters have gathered outside his home, and police have increased his security detail following a rise in threats against him.
Bennett, who studied law at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, is comparatively liberal on issues such as gay rights and the relationship between religion and state in a country where Orthodox rabbis wield strong influence. Bennett has also voiced his support for reduction of taxes and cutting red tape.
However, what needs to be observed is the stand he takes over West Bank during his tenure. Last year, when Netanyahu’s government pressed ahead with West Bank annexation, Bennett, then defence chief was quoted as saying by Reuters: “The building momentum in the country must not be stopped, even for a second.” No doubts Palestinians will be concerned with Bennett’s elevation. They will think of it as a blow to hopes of a negotiated peace and recognition as an independent state.
But as of now Bennett has saved Israel from the ‘calamity of a fifth election in two years’ as per his own words. Political observers will keenly be watching his next move.