Bennett in unusual claim: "Sinwar wanted Netanyahu as Prime Minister"

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett claims in an interview that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar preferred Benjamin Netanyahu over him as Prime Minister, due to his tough policy toward Hamas. Bennett relies on intelligence information and testimonies from hostages, and from there moves to an attack on Netanyahu's conduct before October 7.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made an unusual claim in an interview on 'The Political Kitchen' on the Knesset Channel, according to which former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar preferred to see Benjamin Netanyahu serving as Prime Minister – rather than him. Bennett stated that Sinwar 'loathed' him due to the policy he pursued during his tenure: 'I gave them no rest, we constantly attacked. Sinwar wanted Netanyahu's victory.' According to him, Sinwar called him 'Majnoon.' Bennett claimed that this was intelligence information presented to him during his tenure, and that the matter was also learned through hostages who heard it. From the claim, Bennett moved to a sharp attack on Netanyahu's conduct before the October 7 massacre, and argued that Netanyahu projected weakness and crushed deterrence. According to him, the Prime Minister's role is to prevent an attack, not just to respond after it.