Bennett Calls for Unity, Blasts Netanyahu Over Hamas and October 7 Failures

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the Yamina party, urged Israeli political factions to unite ahead of elections at a "Time for Decisions: Democracy and Society" conference on Wednesday, September 2. Bennett launched a sharp critique of incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of "nurturing and cultivating" Hamas for 15 years, allowing it to grow into a "huge monster" on Israel's borders. "He still hasn't said, 'Yes, I, Netanyahu, am responsible for nurturing Hamas for 15 years, and they slaughtered and raped our daughters,'" Bennett stated, adding that Netanyahu has yet to take responsibility.

Bennett further accused Netanyahu and his associates of orchestrating a public relations campaign to deflect blame for the failures leading to the October 7, 2023, massacre. He described this as a "deliberate bloody slander" that began circulating immediately after the attacks. "This is a completely thought-out bloody slander by Netanyahu. A slander that began to spread in the first days after the October 7 massacre, when Netanyahu and his people began to disseminate this terrible and awful version," Bennett said.

Addressing the possibility of uniting with other parties in a "change bloc," Bennett affirmed his ongoing efforts to achieve a significant merger that would lead to a "great victory." He believes a substantial bloc would prevent wasted votes and emphasized his commitment to this goal, stating, "I said this a year ago, six months ago, I say it now, I firmly believe in this."

Bennett cited his own past actions, including merging lists with Yair Lapid, as an example of "leadership" and "deeds, not just words." He asserted that the next government should comprise individuals from both right and left, united by Zionist values, to "heal" Israel and move past internal divisions. He clarified that his call for unity is not directed at a specific individual like Benny Gantz but rather a general plea to set aside personal ambitions to secure a decisive majority of 63-64 Knesset seats.

Bennett characterized Israel as facing an "existential threat of internal division" and labeled the current government as "the worst in Israel's history," citing mismanagement and chaos in various sectors, including the Ben Gurion Airport, the exemption of Haredi men from military service, and what he termed Netanyahu's "new bloody slander." He also revealed his intention to enshrine the Declaration of Independence as Israel's basic law, serving as a prototype constitution, in the next government. He concluded by stating, "The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, the State of Israel is the national state of the Jewish people. But civil rights must be equal for all citizens of Israel, Jews and non-Jews."