By SCM International Desk I Thursday, Oct 15, 2026
TEL AVIV — In one of his most scathing indictments of Israel’s current political leadership to date, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned that the nation’s foreign policy and internal political compromises are pushing the country toward existential collapse.
Speaking at a political event in Tel Aviv, Mr. Bennett delivered an urgent message regarding the country’s trajectory under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition.
“We are committing suicide, and the coming government term is the last window of opportunity to save the State of Israel,” Mr. Bennett warned. “That’s it. It’s now or never. Because if we do not dismantle the anti-Zionist ultra-Orthodox state, we will lose the Zionist state. We will collapse.”
The remarks underscore a deepening crisis in Israeli politics that centers on military conscription, international diplomacy, and national identity.
Mr. Bennett’s warning strikes directly at the core alliance sustaining Mr. Netanyahu’s government: a coalition dependent on ultra-Orthodox political parties that have long demanded blanket military draft exemptions for young religious men.
A Conscription Crisis Straining the Military
The debate over the military draft has emerged as one of the most volatile issues in Israeli public life. Following months of fighting across multiple fronts, military officials have repeatedly warned of severe manpower shortages in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
For decades, ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men studying in religious seminaries (yeshivas) received deferments from mandatory military service—a privilege granted at Israel’s founding that has grown increasingly contentious as the Haredi population expands.
Israel’s Supreme Court ruled earlier that the legal basis for these mass exemptions was invalid, placing the government under legal obligation to draft ultra-Orthodox men. However, political maneuvers by the ruling coalition to maintain exemptions have infuriated secular and mainstream religious-Zionist Israelis, many of whom have endured prolonged and repeated reserve duty deployments.
Mr. Bennett has positioned himself at the center of this backlash, calling for a “covenant of those who serve” and arguing that the IDF’s burden must be shared equally to prevent military and economic collapse.
Diplomatic Strain and Strategic Isolation
Beyond domestic policy, Mr. Bennett signaled growing alarm over Israel’s standing abroad. Critics argue that months of warfare and hardline rhetoric from far-right cabinet ministers have severely strained relationships with key Western allies, including the United States, while damaging Israel’s public diplomacy efforts.
According to analysts, Mr. Bennett’s characterization of Israel’s course as “national suicide” reflects broader anxiety among opposition leaders that tactical military achievements are being undercut by a lack of long-term strategic and diplomatic planning.
Background and Political Context
Mr. Bennett, a former tech entrepreneur and leader of a right-wing party, served as Prime Minister from June 2021 to June 2022. He headed a historically diverse coalition government that included political parties ranging from the hard right to the left, as well as an Arab-Israeli party, before the alliance collapsed under internal pressure.
Since stepping back from executive office, Mr. Bennett has emerged as a key challenger to Mr. Netanyahu, drawing support from voters seeking a right-leaning alternative to the current administration.
With public discontent mounting over military draft equity, economic pressure, and the government’s strategic vision, Mr. Bennett’s latest remarks mark a aggressive push to re-enter the nation’s political foreground. His call for a fundamental reset signals that the battle over Israel’s secular and religious balance will be the defining debate of the nation’s next election cycle.
