Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Labels Qatar an ‘Enemy’ Ahead of Election
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is widely viewed as a leading challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s upcoming October elections, has sharply criticized Qatar, calling for a fundamental shift in Israel’s policy toward the Gulf state
Speaking on the issue, Bennett said that Netanyahu portrays Qatar as a powerful country that Israel cannot confront at this time.
“Netanyahu describes Qatar as a strong state that Israel cannot take on at the moment. I don’t see it that way. Qatar is a country we understand clearly it is an enemy,” Bennett said.
He went on to argue that Israel should completely sever its ties with Qatar and treat the country as a hostile state.
“We must completely disengage from Qatar and treat it as a genuine enemy whose objective is to destroy us,” he added.
Bennett’s remarks reflect a markedly tougher stance toward Doha than that taken by the current Israeli government, which has maintained indirect engagement with Qatar on issues such as hostage negotiations and humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Politically, Bennett is widely regarded as having maintained close relations with the United Arab Emirates during his time in office. He has also been associated with policies viewed as more critical of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye, reflecting his hardline approach to regional security and foreign policy.
His comments are expected to intensify debate over Israel’s future relations with key regional powers as the country heads toward a closely watched general election in October.