MK Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Yamina Party and former Defense Minister, on Thursday spoke at the annual conference of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
In his remarks, Bennett expressed support for comments made by IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi at the same conference earlier this week. Kochavi had warned the Biden Administration not to return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“The Iranians are not idle for a moment, they are continuing their crusade to envelope us with terror, and they are quite successful,” said Bennett.
“Chief of Staff Kochavi is right. There are things you can see from the 14th floor of the Kirya, but not from Washington. I would expect the Prime Minister to be the first one to stand up for Kochavi,” he continued.
Bennett stressed, “I want to make it absolutely clear - I fully support Kochavi’s position, which is expressing the national Israeli consensus. Generally speaking, it’s nice to finally hear the politicians and the military speak publicly with one voice.”
On the upcoming elections, Bennett said, “I am not against the haredim, rather I am against giving in to their wrongful actions. Unlike Lapid, I don’t hate the haredim, but neither do I concur with Bibi’s habit of giving in to their demands.”
On the issue of fines for violators of coronavirus guidelines, he said, “A school principal that unlawfully opened his school, should be criminally charged.”