Bennett Criticizes Old Remarks Presented as New by Channel 12

Naftali Bennett, chairman of the 'Achva' party, reacted strongly to remarks attributed to Rabbi Dov Landau, which were presented as a new exposé by Channel 12. However, it emerged that Bennett had already addressed these same statements approximately five months prior, in May. Channel 12 re-aired old footage, framing it as a fresh revelation, prompting Bennett to issue a new response to an old event.

Bennett had written on his social media that Rabbi Landau's statements were "shameful and disgraceful," calling them "anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist, and against the IDF." He also criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minister Smotrich for supporting Rabbi Landau and allocating significant funds to him and his associates. Bennett further condemned the remarks against fallen soldiers of the Religious Zionist community as "shameful and disgraceful."

An examination of Bennett's social media account revealed that he had posted the identical statements on May 10, 2026. At that time, he wrote, "Let no one dare to so disrespect the fallen sons of the Religious Zionist community," quoting Rabbi Landau as saying, "They are killed in war as punishment for the distorted Torah of their rabbis."

This indicates that Bennett was not only aware of the remarks but had previously reacted to them, attacked them, and used them for political purposes. Channel 12's decision to present old material as a new "scoop" and Bennett's subsequent reaction, which mirrored his earlier stance and linked the comments to Netanyahu and Smotrich, has led to embarrassment. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the full transcript of the conversation was published on the Kikar HaShabbat website in February 2025 and later appeared on i24NEWS, yet Channel 12 packaged the aged material as a new exposé, with Bennett quickly providing a response that completed the perceived campaign.