His ultranationalist Yamina party won just seven seats in the 120-member Knesset in March elections - the fourth such vote in two years. But by refusing to commit to Netanyahu or his opponents, Bennett positioned himself as kingmaker. Even after one member of his religious nationalist party abandoned him to protest the new coalition deal, he ended up with the crown.
The 49-year-old father of four shares Netanyahu's hawkish approach to the Middle East conflict, but the two have had tense relations over the years.
Bennett served as Netanyahu's chief of staff for two years, but they parted ways after a mysterious falling out that Israeli media linked to Netanyahu´s wife, Sara, who wields great influence over her husband's inner circle.
Bennett, a father of four and a modern Orthodox Jew, will be Israel's first prime minister who regularly wears a kippa, the skullcap worn by observant Jews. He lives in the upscale Tel Aviv suburb of Raanana, rather than the settlements he champions.
Bennett began life with his American-born parents in Haifa, then bounced with his family between North America and Israel, military service, law school and the private sector.
Throughout, he´s curated a persona that´s at once modern, religious and nationalist.
After serving in the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit, Bennett went to law school at Hebrew University. In 1999, he co-founded Cyota, an anti-fraud software company that was sold in 2005 to U.S.-based RSA Security for $145 million.
On Sunday evening, Bennett opened his first cabinet meeting as prime minister with a traditional blessing for new beginnings.
On Sunday evening, Bennett (right) held his first cabinet meeting as prime minister
Naftali Bennett (C), head of the Israeli hard-line national religious party, Jewish Home, and his wife Gilat (R)
No comments:
Post a Comment