Bennett's security gambit and the crisis of political trust
Naftali Bennett challenges Eisenkot on Haredi conscription as polls show Arab society demands new leadership.
Bennett's security gambit and the crisis of political trust — Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Yashar party, presented his "security concept" today (Wednesday) at a party conference, drawing a sharp line against his rival Gadi Eisenkot's camp. Bennett criticized remarks by Yoram Cohen, a member of Eisenkot's party, who agreed to an exemption from conscription for 30% of young Haredi men. "The moment you start with ideas like a 30% exemption, committees and outlines, we've all been there, and we know from experience exactly how it will end," Bennett said.[^1] He promised to enlist all 100,000 young Haredi men "without exemptions and without tricks." Bennett also declared that "every Hezbollah fire will lead to our strike on Iran," and argued that "what collapsed on October 7 was not just the defense line opposite Gaza." Meanwhile, a new poll by the Afkar Institute, to be presented on the program "Makan Talks" on Makan channel, reveals a deep crisis of trust between the Arab public in Israel and its political leadership.[^2] 74% of respondents believe that Arab society urgently needs new public figures and leadership to represent it. 64% of respondents agree to a great or very great extent that their personal trust in public and political figures is lower than in the past. 61% believe that the younger generation in Arab society is less willing than before to trust public office holders. The survey was conducted among 402 participants from Arab society, with 45% having academic education. Elsewhere in the political arena, Yoav Heller, founder of the Fourth Quarter movement, said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post that Israel needs political renewal rather than boycotts.[^3] The decision to enter politics was backed by 69% of the movement's activists, he said. Ben-Dror Yemini argues that the results of the Likud primaries are bad news.[^4] Commentator Avi Ashkenazi argues in his article that Israel wins the military battles but loses the political campaign.[^5] And Miron H. Isaackson argues that compulsive criticism of every small matter in the government creates a sense of persecution and endangers the urgent need for a change of government in the upcoming