N_Bennett

 source: Le Figaro, AFP May 30, 2021

translation: GoogleTranslate/doxa-louise

Who is Naftali Bennett, this former ally of Netanyahu who now wants to oust him from power?

The Israeli businessman has been in turn advisor to Benjamin Netanyahu and then his rival, while remaining an essential partner: Naftali Bennett, leader of the radical right close to the (West Bank) settlers, could succeed his mentor by becoming the next Prime Minister of Israel.

Naftali Bennet could succeed his mentor by becoming Israel's next prime minister. POOL / REUTERS

Balding head, discreet kippah, Naftali Bennett heads the Yamina formation which advocates botheconomic ultra-liberalism, a hard line against Iran, Israel's sworn enemy, or the annexation of nearly two-thirds of the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by the Israeli army since 1967.

The 49-year-old businessman who made his fortune in tech entered politics late. But since 2013, this figure of the “ religious nationalist ” current has occupied five ministerial portfolios. The last, that of Defense in 2020, led him to the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in Israel, to organize a spectacular mobilization of the army to manage the crisis. " A tailor-made image for an (Israeli) audience desperately seeking a legitimate replacement for Netanyahu, " notes Evan Gottesman of the Israel

.

One who was killed politically two years ago and who scored poorly in the last legislative elections in March has been able to maneuver in recent weeks to establish himself as a " kingmaker " in thecomplex negotiations with a view to forming a government coalition.

Up to that time, Naftali Bennett had had it both ways and left in doubt whether or not he intended todeliver the final blow to Benjamin Netanyahu, in power for 15 years. It is now on him that the centristYaïr Lapid relies, while he has until Wednesday evening to rally enough partners to his project of " government of change ".

His last-minute rallying to this explosive alliance - which goes from the left to his right-wing party,including the support of Arab deputies - was negotiated at a high price: no less than the post of Prime Minister which will later be taken over then by Yaïr Lapid.

Champion of the Israeli national start-up

Son of American immigrants born March 25, 1972 in Haifa (north), Naftali Bennett who served in the prestigious unit " Sayeret Matkal ", like Mr. Netanyahu, established himself at the turn of the 2000s as one of the leades of the " start-up nation " with his cybersecurity company Cyotta sold for 145 million dollars in 2005. The following year he made the leap into politics for the Likud where he became the right-hand man of Benjamin Netanyahu. Two years later, Naftali Bennett left Likud to head for a timethe Council of Yesha, the main organization representing Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which would become his political base, even though he had never lived in one of these. controversial settlements.

In 2012, he took the reins of the right-wing Foyer Juif, which then joined other micro-parties to form “Yamina ” (right-wing). The Yamina party, known for its muse, Ayelet Shaked, is today led by NaftaliBennett. And the latter succeeded in seducing some of the settlers with strong nationalist remarks.

Example? The conflict with the Palestinians cannot not be settled but endured like a " shrapnel in thebutt ". Or again: there is no Israeli occupation in the West Bank because “ there has never been a Palestinian state ”. Or: " terrorists must be killed not released ", slogan launched with regard to Palestinian prisoners. For example, he had promised Iran a " Vietnam " if the Islamic Republiccontinued, according to him, to establish itself militarily in neighboring Syria.

But Naftali Bennett, father of four children and living in the wealthy city of Raanana (center), alsostands out in his religious right-wing milieu: questions about the place of religion in the State are not in his priorities and he embodies a certain liberalism of values, especially for example on LGBTQ issues.