In an interview with Israel Hayom two weeks ahead of Israel's next election, Yamina head Naftali Bennnett, whose party is expected to be the country's largest, is confident he will be Israel's next prime minister.
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Noting New Hope leader Gideon Sa'ar's anonymous funding of anti-Yamina campaign ads, Bennett said, "I feel like I've had a target painted on my back."
Prime Minister Benjamin "Netanyahu has been doing it for years. [Religious Zionist Party head Bezalel] Smotrich started a campaign against me, Gideon ran an anonymous and illegal campaign against us for a while. It was only when he got caught that he admitted it and remembered to call for a ceasefire. Still today, members of his party are continuing their attacks on us."
As for Sa'ar, Bennett said, "I don't hand out grades. Gideon Sa'ar is a skilled politician. The main thing we need today is entrepreneurialism, energy, and national crisis management. While I was going around the country as defense minister, I established [corona] hotels and we made sure to save lives. I don't know what he did. Leaders need to be examined in times of crisis."
As for his former ally Smotrich, Bennett told Israel Hayom he appreciates the Religious Zionist leader but "was surprised by his move to establish a party and everything. But I have no doubt that the day after the elections, we can work together."
"Smotrich says we don't have any values anymore, that we will go with the Arabs, and the left-wingers, and the Hitler lovers. I don't think that's serious. It's disappointing to see a campaign that's based entirely on attacking us."
The Yamina party leader didn't mince words when it came to Smotrich's alliance with radical right-wing party Otzma Yehudit.
"There's an ideological abyss between me and him, but as long as he's for a Jewish and democratic state, he can be a partner," he said.
One person Bennett said he was willing to rule out was Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.
"Lapid is on the Left. I won't be a partner to the establishment of a left-wing government. I look at his policies over the years, the attack on settlers in the expulsion from Gush Katif [in the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip]."
He said, "I will establish the government. We will replace Netanyahu only from the Right, and not from the Left."
The Haredim "can be partners in the government, but not the landlords. The government's landlords are the public in its entirety," he said.
Bennett said he believes that "if I make it to 15 Knesset seats, I will be prime minister. Believe me, I can do it. I'll succeed. Thanks to the fact that I am not part of the Netanyahu boycotter cult or part of the Netanyahu adoration cult. There's a sense among some parts of the national public that Israel won't exist the day after Netanyahu. He succeeded in implementing that [thinking], but it's not true. Immediately after Passover, we'll shake Netanyahu's hand, we'll say 'Thank you very much,' and we'll replace him."
Yamina's leader insisted only he would prevent a fifth election.
"I won't let it happen. We will establish a national government for change. Parties that aren't on the Right can join, I have no problem with that, as long as the premiership is mine. Anyone who is in favor of a Jewish and democratic state can take part in this nationalist government for change that will take Israel forward."
In the interview, Bennett, who sold a start-up he founded for $145 million in 2005, also spoke about the differences between his lifestyle and that of his political rivals.
"To me, money isn't an issue. It's not like I'm eating seven steaks a day or buying a Ferrari. That doesn't interest me. It did allow me the freedom to dedicate my entire life to this people. It's easier to enter politics when you have financial backing. Think about how, if a politician doesn't have a financial alternative, they're very nervous. In all my years, I've never been approached with bribery offers because there's no point. It allows me not to take anyone other than the people of Israel into account.
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