Naftali Bennett Promises Reinforcements Amid Criticism of Netanyahu and Smotrich

Former Prime Minister and leader of the "Together" party, Naftali Bennett, sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a radio interview on 103FM on Wednesday. Addressing IDF soldiers, Bennett acknowledged ongoing challenges, stating, "There are still 104 days of looting and evasion ahead - reinforcements are on the way, and this terrible government will go. Together we will fix it."

Bennett dismissed Netanyahu's justification for controversial legislation as "nonsense," emphasizing his own right-wing, consistent stance and denying any concessions of Israeli land or prisoner releases. He also condemned Smotrich, calling him "the architect of the evasion law" and accusing him of disgracefully diverting billions to ultra-Orthodox individuals avoiding military service. Bennett urged Smotrich to resign, saying he brings shame to those wearing a knitted kippah.

Highlighting the government's mishandling of the ultra-Orthodox community, Bennett criticized the allocation of tens of billions of shekels to healthy young ultra-Orthodox men who avoid service. He claimed that if just 20% of the estimated 100,000 such individuals enlisted, Israel's manpower issues would be resolved. Bennett pledged to repeal the evasion laws and redirect saved funds to benefit reservists, promising substantial support including up to one million shekels for first-time homebuyers and free childcare from birth to age three.

Regarding the fragmented opposition bloc, Bennett described its members as "excellent people" but acknowledged the need to consolidate the various small parties. He suggested that they must decide whether to run as a unified party if they can overcome personal differences, or else some should refrain from running while others join existing parties.