Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in an interview on the Unholy podcast, said 70% of Palestinians in the Palestinian Authority support the October 7 massacre and seek Israel's destruction, and that therefore Israel must not allow them a state. He simultaneously argued Israel should rapidly improve their quality of life as an Israeli interest.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, in an interview on the Unholy podcast with Yonit Levi, argued that 70% of Palestinians in the Palestinian Authority support the October 7, 2023 massacre and seek Israel's destruction, making Palestinian statehood impossible. However, he said in the same breath that Israel should rapidly double their quality of life within four years, calling it an Israeli interest.
The comments echo Bennett's broader public positioning: on the one hand, security-first opposition to a Palestinian state; on the other, a stated interest in improving economic conditions in the territories. The remarks drew criticism from Yesha Council chairman Israel Gantz, who accused Bennett of advocating a 'terror state' near central Israel.
As The Zioneer has reported, Bennett has recently stepped up media appearances to present his political vision, including interviews with The Times of Israel and Kan 11, in which he warned of 'national suicide' over Haredi draft exemptions and criticized Netanyahu's Iran strategy. This latest interview sharpens the tension in his platform between staunch security rhetoric and openness to Palestinian economic development.
2 developments
- DevelopingBennett interview sparks backlash: Smotrich warns of ‘terror state’ in West Bank
- DevelopingNaftali Bennett declares he will hand over Areas A and B to a Palestinian state
- StrongBennett: 'Netanyahu tenure began with civil war, continued with Oct. 7, ends with failure against Iran'
- DevelopingBennett Calls for Strong Israeli Response, Warns Against Symbolic Action
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