Bennett open to gov’t with Netanyahu, sparking fury among opposition leaders

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett signaled his willingness to include Netanyahu in a future government – before walking back the comment after a barrage of criticism from opposition leaders.

By World Israel News Staff

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sparked a dispute among opposition leaders Sunday after suggesting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could serve as a minister in a future government headed by Bennett, prompting sharp criticism from his political allies and a subsequent clarification ruling out any cooperation with Netanyahu.

Speaking at an election conference organized by the Hador newspaper, Bennett, leader of the Beyachad (“Together”) party, said he would theoretically be willing to appoint Netanyahu to his cabinet if the prime minister accepted several central demands of his party.

Bennett praised Netanyahu’s record as finance minister, describing him as one of the best Israel has had, before outlining the conditions under which he would consider including him in a future government.

“If he accepts all our central principles — an immediate state commission of inquiry, conscription for all, and a constitution for Israel — I have no problem with Netanyahu being a minister in our government,” Bennett said.

His comments immediately drew objections from other leaders in the opposition bloc, who have pledged to replace Netanyahu following the October 27 Knesset elections.

Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, rejected Bennett’s proposal, arguing that Netanyahu should be barred from any senior leadership position because of his responsibility for the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre.

“I don’t accept that,” Eisenkot said. “Anyone who held office on October 7 is unfit to serve in positions of command and leadership, including as finance minister.”

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman also condemned the suggestion, urging his fellow opposition leaders to make an unequivocal commitment against joining a government with Netanyahu.

“I call on my colleagues in the Zionist bloc to make it absolutely clear — come what may, we will not sit with Netanyahu,” Liberman declared.

Liberman added that Netanyahu should not be permitted to serve in any ministerial position in the next government, including the relatively minor portfolio of regional cooperation.

Democrats chairman Yair Golan similarly ruled out joining any government that included Netanyahu, whether as finance minister, another cabinet minister, or a minister without portfolio.

The controversy comes just two weeks after Bennett, Eisenkot, Lieberman, Golan and opposition leader Yair Lapid signed a joint agreement outlining principles for cooperation ahead of the elections. The five leaders pledged to work toward establishing a new government and to refrain from attacking one another during the campaign.

Following the criticism, Bennett issued a clarification insisting that his remarks had been intended to illustrate the impossibility of Netanyahu accepting the opposition’s conditions, rather than to signal a willingness to form a coalition with him.

“I suggest everyone calm down,” Bennett wrote. “I have said a thousand times that Netanyahu bears direct and personal responsibility for the October 7 massacre and therefore must go home. We will not sit with him under any circumstances.”

Bennett argued that Netanyahu opposed universal conscription, a state commission of inquiry into October 7, and the adoption of an Israeli constitution, making the conditions he had proposed incompatible with the prime minister’s positions.

2026 Israeli electionBenjamin NetanyahuNaftali Bennett