Trending 
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has stated that if he returns to politics, his next government would exclude Arab parties, insisting that only Zionist factions should lead Israel during this period, according to the Times of Israel.
Speaking at Columbia University in New York on Tuesday, Bennett proposed forming a broad coalition of up to 90 Knesset members (out of 120) to “put Israel on the right track again.” However, he emphasised that Arab parties would not be part of it.
Despite this stance, Bennett maintained that his government would ensure the rights and well-being of Palestinian citizens of Israel.
“Because of the war that’s going on right now, and because of the composition of the Arab parties, it doesn’t make sense for them to join the government,” he said.
Bennett also praised US President Donald Trump for his handling of Middle Eastern affairs, arguing that his leadership creates a meaningful level of deterrence.
He further blamed internal divisions in Israel over judicial reforms for making the country vulnerable to Hamas attacks.
“Had we had a unified country, we wouldn’t have been distracted,” he stated, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of prioritising political survival over national security.
Bennett’s speech at Columbia sparked fierce backlash, with several student groups protesting his presence.
The event, hosted by Barnard College-Hillel and Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, was met with demonstrations from Jewish Voice for Peace and the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition. Protesters held banners reading, “War criminals off our campus.”
“By agreeing to host Naftali Bennett while excluding students who feel comfortable challenging his reprehensible policy proposals, CBHillel is implicitly endorsing these policies,” Columbia Jews for Ceasefire said in a statement on Friday, March 7, 2025.
Columbia University has been at the centre of recent pro-Palestinian protests, with students demanding an end to US support for Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Demonstrations last year led to class cancellations, resignations of university officials, and the suspension or arrest of student protesters.
The protests have continued, with recent demonstrations in New York following the expulsion of three Barnard College students and the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.
Meanwhile, Trump has pledged to deport non-citizen students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests and cut federal funding for colleges that allow what he called “illegal protests.”
