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Naftali BennettPrime Minister of Israel since June 13, 2021
Date of Birth: 25.03.1972
Country:  Israel |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Business Career
- Political Beginnings
- Founding the Jewish Home and Joining the Knesset
- Founding the New Right and Yamina
- Prime Minister of Israel
Early Life and Education
Naftali Bennett was born in Haifa, Israel, to American Jewish immigrants Jim and Myrna Bennett. He is one of three sons. Bennett served in the Israel Defense Forces as a company commander in the elite Sayeret Matkal and Maglan special forces units and continues to serve in the reserves with the rank of major. He studied law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Business Career
Prior to entering politics, Bennett was a successful entrepreneur and startup executive. In 1999, he co-founded and served as CEO of Cyota, a cybersecurity software company. Cyota was sold to RSA Security in 2005 for $145 million.
Political Beginnings
Following the Second Lebanon War, Bennett joined then-opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu as his chief of staff from 2006 to 2008. He led a team that developed a plan for reforming the education system. In 2010, Bennett was elected Director General of the Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea and Samaria and spearheaded the fight against the settlement freeze that year.
Founding the Jewish Home and Joining the Knesset
In 2012, Bennett co-founded the My Israel extra-parliamentary movement and subsequently resigned from Likud to join the Jewish Home. He became leader of Jewish Home in 2012 and was elected to the Knesset in 2013. As an MK, Bennett was a vocal advocate for strengthening ties between Israel and Russia.
Founding the New Right and Yamina
In 2018, Bennett left Jewish Home and co-founded the New Right party. The New Right failed to pass the electoral threshold in the 2019 elections but later joined the Yamina coalition, with Bennett returning to the Knesset.
Prime Minister of Israel
In 2021, an opposition coalition agreed to form a government with Bennett as the first rotating Prime Minister. On June 13, 2021, Bennett was elected Prime Minister of Israel with 60 Knesset votes in favor, while 59 voted against and one abstained.
