Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, then in office, speaking to journalists at Ben-Gurion International Airport, on June 22, 2021. (Credit: Archive photo Jack Guez/AFP)
BEIRUT — Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Wednesday that a government led by him would strike Iran if Hezbollah attacked Israel.
Bennett, who is challenging Benjamin Netanyahu in October’s legislative elections, outlined the policy as part of a broader security overhaul, according to Ynet and Haaretz.
“We will reverse the equation created by the [Benjamin Netanyahu] government in the North. If Hezbollah fires at us, we will strike Iran [...]. Every attack from Hezbollah will lead us to strike Iran,” Bennett said at a conference presenting his security doctrine.
He accused the Netanyahu government of making decisions on the wars in Lebanon and Gaza based on “erroneous security conceptions.” He said he would change that approach if elected.
Since the war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack and Hezbollah opened a “support front” in Lebanon, Israel has not struck Iran in response to Hezbollah attacks. Iran, however, responded on June 16 to Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs by firing missiles at Israel. The Israel-Hezbollah war resumed on March 2 after a fragile 15-month truce.
Bennett said the Oct. 7 attacks showed that “what collapsed [that day] was not just the line of defense facing Gaza, but an entire security doctrine imposed for years” by Netanyahu.
He also said he would designate Qatar as an enemy state and replace Turkey and Qatar in Gaza with Egypt. He said illegal weapons in Israel should also be treated as a national security threat rather than a civil security issue.
