Former prime minister and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett responded Tuesday to the political uproar over his remarks on illegal construction in Judea and Samaria, saying he has not changed his ideological or policy views. His comments followed a clip from a recent interview on the KAN News podcast "The Mechanism," which drew sharp criticism from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other right-wing figures.
At a press statement outlining his plans for the next government, Bennett told a reporter from Israel Hayom: "I am against a Palestinian state, against handing over territory, in favor of legal construction in Area C. And כמו any government, where there is illegal construction or construction on private land, of course it is removed." He then addressed Smotrich directly, saying: "Smotrich, what are you talking nonsense? He evacuated 107 illegal outposts and rightly so. You know why? Because there is law and there is private land. If someone comes and builds a house on land that is not theirs, is that okay? No."
Speaking separately at the JNS conference, Bennett said his current political approach remains firmly right-wing. "My ideological positions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are clear. I am a man of the right, I have not changed my opinions, but I am not extreme and I am not irresponsible," he said.
Bennett added that being right-wing means defending national interests, not giving up territory and not allowing a Palestinian state, but also not acting foolishly. The controversy began after his interview with Shaul Amsterdamski, in which he said he would work to remove illegal construction in Judea and Samaria, while supporting legal building in Area C on state land and rejecting construction on private Palestinian land.
