Naftali Bennett stories

Aug 22, 2026

Israeli military officials suspect Netanyahu may escalate conflicts to delay elections

Senior Israeli military officials believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be seeking to escalate situations in Gaza and Syria to disrupt upcoming parliamentary elections. The concerns have sparked tensions with Washington over Israeli strikes in Syria and actions in Gaza and the West Bank, while former PM Naftali Bennett accused Netanyahu of toxic campaigning that could incite violence.

Aug 22, 20263 sources

Top claims

▪Naftali Bennett's political alliance with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has gradually lost ground in opinion polls, with Yashar party chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as Netanyahu's main rival.
▪U.S. diplomat Tom Barrack criticized Israel's airstrike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria, hinting that the attack was carried out for political purposes.
▪Naftali Bennett claimed that during their 2021 handover meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to use heavy artillery to mark Bennett as a traitor if he formed a government.

Topics

U.S. role & policy in Gaza Military operations in Gaza Israeli domestic politics Israel-Gaza war

Related entities

Israel Syria United States

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