BOMBSHELL: Trump pushing to unite Netanyahu and Bennett, ditch Ben-Gvir – report

Bennett could reverse his campaign pledge and join a Netanyahu-led government, but his demand to exclude Ben-Gvir threatens to derail the reported US-backed deal.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett may be preparing to abandon his election campaign pledge never to serve under Benjamin Netanyahu, as President Donald Trump reportedly works behind the scenes to broker a coalition agreement following Israel’s inconclusive election.

According to journalist Yehoshua Meiri-Lichter, negotiations involving Trump, Netanyahu, Bennett, and billionaire Republican donor Miriam Adelson have intensified over the past 48 hours, with a possible agreement beginning to emerge.

Under the reported proposal, Bennett would become defense minister and deputy prime minister in a Netanyahu-led government, while his political ally Yair Lapid would receive the foreign affairs portfolio.

Bennett initially demanded a rotation agreement that would eventually make him prime minister, but reportedly withdrew that condition following pressure from Adelson.

The Jewish Edition separately identified a Netanyahu-Bennett partnership as the most likely outcome of the post-election negotiations.

The reported discussions have not been independently confirmed, and no agreement has been announced.

Bennett’s political comeback

For Bennett, joining Netanyahu would represent a dramatic reversal and potentially offer a path back to the political Right.

His decision to form a coalition with Lapid in 2021, supported by the Islamist Ra’am party, alienated many of his former right-wing supporters and damaged his political standing.

Meiri-Lichter previously reported that Bennett was considering joining a broad right-wing coalition in exchange for a senior cabinet position, possibly Defense or Finance, along with the title of deputy prime minister.

According to sources close to Bennett cited in that report, the former prime minister recognizes that rebuilding trust with conservative voters is essential to his hopes of eventually returning to the premiership.

A deal with Netanyahu could allow Bennett to portray himself as the leader who helped break Israel’s political deadlock, while giving him a prominent role in the next government.

But the reported negotiations face a major obstacle.

Ben-Gvir could derail the agreement

Bennett is reportedly demanding that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party be excluded from the coalition.

That condition creates both a political contradiction and a serious mathematical problem.

Bennett’s apparent effort to reconcile with the Right would begin by excluding one of its most prominent leaders, whose party secured seven Knesset seats in Tuesday’s election.

More importantly, Netanyahu may be unable to form a government without Ben-Gvir.

According to the final election count published Friday, Netanyahu’s existing bloc won 53 seats, while Bennett’s B’Yachad party secured 12. Together, they would control 65 seats, comfortably above the 61 required for a parliamentary majority.

However, removing Ben-Gvir’s seven seats would leave the proposed coalition with just 58, forcing Netanyahu to recruit another party or persuade Bennett to abandon his demand.

Further complicating the arrangement is the political makeup of Bennett’s alliance, which includes Lapid and other figures whose positions differ significantly from those of Netanyahu’s traditional right-wing partners.

Meiri-Lichter reported that representatives of Netanyahu and the American side are exploring possible compromises, but the dispute remains unresolved.

Trump’s role raises new questions

The reported initiative comes amid growing indications that figures close to Trump would prefer an Israeli government without Ben-Gvir and possibly Religious Zionism chairman Bezalel Smotrich.

Ynet reported Wednesday that Trump associates favored excluding both politicians from the next coalition, potentially clearing the way for a broader unity government.

Smotrich’s hardline position on Gaza has generated friction with American diplomatic efforts, while Washington has sought to advance regional agreements, including normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

However, the White House subsequently disputed reports suggesting that the administration had already decided to intervene in Israel’s coalition negotiations.

Asked Wednesday whether he would help establish a Netanyahu-led unity government, Trump said he had not yet considered the proposal but would look into it.

The latest reports also come as Israeli politicians pursue competing coalition arrangements.

Netanyahu has held talks with Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, while Bennett has met with opposition figures, including Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan, underscoring how fluid the political situation remains.

For Netanyahu, an agreement with Bennett could provide the parliamentary majority his existing bloc failed to secure at the ballot box.

For Bennett, the stakes may be even greater.

Returning to government could revive his political career and position him for another attempt at the premiership. But doing so would require abandoning his campaign promise not to serve under Netanyahu.

And if Ben-Gvir’s participation proves essential to forming a majority, Bennett could face an even more uncomfortable choice: accept a government alongside the very politician he reportedly wants excluded, or walk away from the deal that could bring him back to power.

Benjamin NetanyahuDonald TrumpIsraeli electionsItamar Ben-GvirNaftali Bennett