Wanted to be Prime Minister, became a third wheel: Bennett's entanglement

Naftali Bennett won 12 seats in the elections, five of which came from Yair Lapid, and faces a dilemma: joining Gadi Eisenkot's government could alienate right-wing voters, while returning to the right would require rebuilding trust. The article analyzes the risk of becoming a secondary player.

Naftali Bennett, the former prime minister, won 12 seats in the elections for the 26th Knesset, five of which came from Yair Lapid. The article analyzes the political dilemma he faces: joining a center-left government led by Gadi Eisenkot could alienate right-wing voters, while returning to the national camp would require him to rebuild public trust. The article notes that Bennett risks losing the right without gaining leadership of the left, and that the only option that might leave him a path forward is a return to a right-wing constellation with Netanyahu and Smotrich. However, even this path does not guarantee success, and Bennett may find himself in a survival struggle around the electoral threshold.