Former PM Bennett Reveals No Israeli Plan Against Iran Upon Taking Office

Former Israeli Prime Minister and leader of the Yamina party, Naftali Bennett, disclosed that on his first day in office, he found no existing plan to address the Iranian nuclear threat. Speaking at the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University on Wednesday, Bennett said he asked his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the strategy against Iran and was told there was none. He emphasized that despite Iran advancing uranium enrichment to 60%, crossing all previous red lines, Israel had no prepared response.

Bennett described the handover of the prime minister role as lasting only about twenty minutes, during which he found no briefing materials on key issues including security, economy, or diplomacy. He criticized the lack of Israeli capabilities or contingency plans from 2018 until June 2021, a period when Iran rapidly progressed toward nuclear capability. Bennett questioned Netanyahu's absence of preparation, even if the U.S. might intervene militarily.

Reflecting on his early months as prime minister, Bennett said he felt like he was living a nightmare, with Israel thriving externally but internally vulnerable to the Iranian threat. He concluded by stressing the importance of having a clear and actionable plan to protect the Jewish state. Bennett’s remarks come amid ongoing criticism from both coalition and opposition members regarding the Iranian nuclear deal and Israel’s strategic readiness.