MK Orit Struk
MK Orit StrukIsrael news photo: Flash 90

MK Orit Struk (Jewish Home) said Thursday morning that party leader, Minister Naftali Bennett, chose to swallow his pride in the confrontation with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in order to give Netanyahu the respect and appreciation that he deserves on the personal level.

"However,” she added in an interview with Voice of Israel public radio, Bennett “did not retreat by even a single millimeter from his principled diplomatic position, which many in Likud also hold.”

Struk added that there is “an iron wall” within the Coalition that will not allow it to slide down the kind of slope that led to the ceding of parts of the Land of Israel in the Oslo process.

Pundits said Thursday that Netanyahu and Bennett are both trying to claim victory in the confrontation between them, over an idea leaked from the Prime Minister's Office, to leave Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria under the sovereignty of a future state of “Palestine.” Bennett lashed out strongly against the idea, raising the ire of Netanyahu, whose bureau explained that the idea was only meant to call the bluff of the Arab side, which refuses to accept Jews in its future state.

Hours after he apologized to NetanyahuEconomy Minister Naftali Bennett pledged on Wednesday night to “continue to speak the truth.”

In a post on his Facebook page, Bennett thanked all those who supported him and strengthened him over the past several days as he came under fire after criticizing Netanyahu for suggesting that Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria be allowed to live under Palestinian Authority (PA) control in a future agreement.

"It's been a complicated few days," wrote Bennett, adding, "I just wanted to say to all the good people who strengthened me: I love you, my sisters and brothers."