Former Ally Amichai Shikli Reveals Tense Private Talks with Netanyahu’s Successor Bennett

Amichai Shikli, who recently secured the ninth spot in the Likud primaries, responded sharply to former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s recent interview on Channel 12. Bennett had disclosed details of a private conversation between them before the formation of the so-called "change government." Shikli criticized Bennett for breaking the trust of private discussions, emphasizing that personal talks, especially face-to-face, should remain confidential as a fundamental principle of trust in politics.

Shikli confirmed the meeting took place on May 5, 2021, just before Bennett’s controversial government was established. He described the meeting as divided into two parts: an initially calm and optimistic discussion where Bennett promised not to form a left-wing government but rather a broad national one, followed by a second, more volatile session where Bennett became agitated and nearly in tears, accusing Shikli of not returning the mandate to him. Shikli reminded Bennett that the mandate belongs to the voters, not to any individual or party leader.

Shikli further detailed the tense political context, including ongoing violence in mixed cities and Hamas rocket attacks, which influenced Bennett’s shifting stance. Bennett reportedly instructed journalist Yair Saraki to communicate that a coalition with the United Arab party Ra’am was off the table due to security concerns. Shikli also accused Bennett of pressuring him to publicly attack Benjamin Netanyahu on Twitter and avoid media interviews to force a right-wing government formation.

Shikli concluded by calling Bennett a political fraud and a traitor to his voters, stating, "I have met many deceivers, but none come close to Bennett, who is the Madoff of Israeli politics." He accused Bennett of fabricating narratives to silence criticism and described the betrayal of voters as only a minor part of Bennett’s problems.

Summary: Amichai Shikli, a former ally of Naftali Bennett, exposed the details of a private meeting before Bennett’s government formation, accusing him of emotional outbursts, political manipulation, and betrayal of voters amid Israel’s tense political and security situation in 2021.