Former PM Naftali Bennett Attacked During Visit to Bnei Brak

Former Israeli Prime Minister and leader of the "Yachad" party, Naftali Bennett, visited Bnei Brak on Thursday night, engaging with yeshiva students in a local "cholent" shop. The initial discussion, held around a table, reportedly became heated and concluded with the arrest of a suspect after objects were thrown towards Bennett.

According to the Yachad party, Bennett participated in a "parliament" session with several yeshiva students for about half an hour, describing the conversation as positive and substantive. Video footage from the scene shows Bennett sitting with the students, while others gathered around to document the encounter.

Right-wing activist Mordechai David arrived at the scene and was prevented from approaching Bennett by security personnel, leading to a verbal altercation. During the exchange, Bennett told David, "I suggest you enlist quickly because from the moment I am prime minister, you will not receive a shekel from the state." Jonathan Shilo later criticized David, stating, "There are those from our generation who risked their lives for there to be a state. And there are those from our generation who went to block citizens so they would have a livelihood. Mordechai, the bus to the IDF recruitment center leaves Sunday morning. Get on it, and try not to block it."

Chazki Dortman, an activist from the "Jerusalem Faction," was also present and was heard repeatedly shouting "Bennett is antisemitic" at the former prime minister.

The Yachad party reported that after approximately thirty minutes, a "group of political activists" arrived, and two objects were thrown at Bennett. While Bennett was unharmed, the party stated that one of the objects struck the head of a female staff member. The staff member received immediate attention from an MDA (Magen David Adom) team and was released without further medical treatment. Bennett later spoke with her and confirmed she was feeling well.

The police reported that officers from the Bnei Brak-Ramot Gan station, who were present, immediately arrested the suspect after the object was thrown and took him in for questioning. A police statement confirmed the arrest of a passerby who threw an object that did not hit the public figure, adding that the suspect was being investigated.