Politics · Other · 3 hrs ago
Bennett retracts suggestion Netanyahu could join a future government
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett suggested that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could join a future government if he accepted its policies.
Bennett said those policies included a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack.
His remarks drew criticism from opposition allies who have ruled out working with Netanyahu.
Gadi Eisenkot said everyone who held office on October 7 was unfit for leadership, while Yair Golan and Avigdor Liberman also rejected Netanyahu joining a government.
Bennett then said he would not work with Netanyahu and argued his earlier remarks were meant to show how unlikely the idea was.
He has said Netanyahu bears personal responsibility for the October 7 attack and must leave office.
The dispute comes two weeks before election day and adds to tensions among opposition leaders.
Naftali Bennett retracted a suggestion that Benjamin Netanyahu could join a future government after criticism from opposition allies.
Bennett had said Netanyahu could be included if he accepted the bloc’s policy guidelines, including a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack.
Bennett later said he had repeatedly ruled out working with Netanyahu and that his remarks were intended to illustrate the absurdity of the idea.
Opposition figures Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan and Avigdor Liberman rejected the prospect of Netanyahu receiving a government role.
- Who
- Former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with opposition allies who criticized Bennett’s remarks.
- What
- Bennett suggested Netanyahu could join a future government if he accepted the bloc’s policies, then retracted the suggestion.
- When
- Sunday, October 11, 2026.
- Where
- At an event organized by religious Zionist newspaper HaDor; Bennett later responded on social media.
- Why
- Bennett said the remarks were intended to illustrate the absurdity of the idea and reiterated that he would not work with Netanyahu.
Naftali Bennett
Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan and Avigdor Liberman
Netanyahu’s possible role
Naftali Bennett
Bennett initially said Netanyahu could join if he accepted the bloc’s policy guidelines; he later said the remark was intended to illustrate the absurdity and that he would not work with Netanyahu.
Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan and Avigdor Liberman
Eisenkot said everyone who was in office on October 7 was unfit for command and leadership roles; Golan and Liberman ruled out Netanyahu joining a government.
If he accepts our policy guidelines — including a state commission of inquiry [into the October 7 attack] — he’s welcome to give me a call
We will not sit with him in any formation.
Everyone who was in office [on October 7] is unfit to serve in command and leadership roles.
Come hell or high water, we will not sit in a government with Netanyahu
At a HaDor event, Bennett suggested Netanyahu could join a future government if he accepted its policy guidelines.
Opposition allies publicly rejected the possibility of Netanyahu joining a government.
Bennett said on social media that he would not work with Netanyahu and that his remarks were intended to illustrate the absurdity.
- Bennett’s condition
- Netanyahu would have to accept the bloc’s policy guidelines, including a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack
- Eisenkot’s position
- Everyone who was in office on October 7 was unfit for command and leadership roles
- Golan’s position
- Netanyahu would not receive a government role while his party had any say
- Liberman’s position
- Called on opposition allies not to sit in a government with Netanyahu
- Election timing
- The dispute came two weeks before election day
Sources
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