Naftali Bennett
Benjamin Netanyahu exerted an understanding of U.S. politics and culture unmatched by previous Israeli leaders. Yet some experts believe that incoming Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid might have more clout among current administration officials.
The documents include proposed changes to the country’s basic laws, designed to prevent Yamina Party leader Naftali Bennett from bolting the new government and to ensure that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cannot again serve as premier.
Yamina leader Naftali Bennett blasts “violent machine” targeting opposition lawmakers, tells Netanyahu to “let go, let the country move forward.”
Yamina and New Hope leaders are “dangerous,” as they have burned all their bridges by “deceiving” everyone that voted for them, says Likud lawmaker May Golan.
“This looks to me like a car with four different wheels, and every wheel is going in a different direction,” said Lt. Col. (res.) Dr. Mordechai Kedar. “The only thing they agree upon is the need to get rid of [Benjamin] Netanyahu. This objective will be achieved in the first minute of this government.”
It is expected to be comprised of seven parties spanning the political spectrum from left, center and right, including the first time that an Arab party will play a role in forming an Israeli government.
“Whoever fooled us and betrayed us has lost our trust forever,” says Tzfat Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu.
The Yamina Party No. 2 has been the focus of pressure by right-wing activists not to go along with party leader Naftali Bennett’s decision to join and head an anti-Netanyahu “change government.”
“There isn’t a person in Israel who would have voted for you if they had known what you were going to do,” says the Israeli premier, after the Yamina leader announces his intent to join a “change” government.
He would become prime minister for two years before yielding the top job to Lapid in a rotation • New government would unseat Benjamin Netanyahu after 12 straight years as Israel’s premier.
It remains unclear how Lapid could bring together the disparate group of parties spanning the entire Israeli political spectrum from the left, right, religious, secular and even Arab parties, who have never backed an Israeli government.
Reports indicate that as the head of the second-largest party in the Knesset, he is the likely choice. Naftali Bennett is also a possibility.
