Once a close ally of Benjamin Netanyahu, Naftali Bennett is positioning himself as a right-wing alternative aiming to end the longtime Israeli prime minister's political dominance. Bennett has re-entered the national spotlight for Israel's upcoming elections by joining forces with opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid to establish a joint electoral alliance named "Together" or Beyachad.
Born in Haifa to American Jewish immigrants, the 54-year-old Bennett describes his political identity as a right-wing, liberal Zionist. After serving as an officer in an elite military commando unit, he pursued a career in law and technology. At age 27, while living in Manhattan, he co-founded the anti-fraud software firm Cyota, which was acquired by an American security firm several years later for $145 million.
Bennett entered formal politics in 2006 as a senior aide to Netanyahu, working in that capacity until 2008. Following his departure from the role, he led the Yesha Council, the primary umbrella organization representing Israeli settlers in the West Bank. By 2013, he returned to electoral politics as the leader of the religious-nationalist Jewish Home party, later forming the New Right party alongside Ayelet Shaked in 2018.
In June 2021, Bennett achieved the premiership when an eight-party coalition narrowly won parliamentary approval, concluding Netanyahu's twelve consecutive years in power. Under a rotational arrangement, Bennett served as prime minister until June 2022 before handing the role over to Lapid.
Ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections, Bennett and allied opposition figures have committed to swiftly forming a new government and pursuing legislation that would restrict a prime minister's tenure to eight years while disqualifying individuals facing criminal charges from holding the office. His campaign platform emphasizes broadening the Abraham Accords, fostering economic collaboration with Arab countries, and repairing international ties, particularly with the United States.
Despite his high-profile comeback, polling data indicates that the joint Beyachad list trails other political factions. Recent surveys project strong competition from opposing parties, highlighting the complex political arithmetic Bennett and Lapid must navigate in their bid to unseat the incumbent administration.