Naftali Bennett Seeks Comeback With 15-Seat Bid to Expand Abraham Accords

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 26

Naftali Bennett, 54, is pitching a return to power in Israel's Oct. 27 election with a plan to widen the Abraham Accords, rebuild ties with Washington and restore Israel's international standing after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack.
A Channel 12 poll published Oct. 23 put Bennett and Yair Lapid's Together party at 15 Knesset seats, behind Gadi Eisenkot's 23 and Benjamin Netanyahu's 21, though Bennett argues coalition bargaining can still make him prime minister.
Bennett says he would order police, military and intelligence chiefs to produce a plan within three days to curb extremist settler violence, which he called a major source of international damage to Israel.
His platform still sits firmly on the right: he opposes Palestinian statehood, backs continued Israeli security control in Gaza until Hamas is disarmed and has urged direct strikes on Iran under his 'Octopus Doctrine.'
Critics say a leadership change alone will not repair Israel's diplomacy; a February 2026 Gallup survey showed 36% of Americans sympathized more with Israelis versus 41% with Palestinians, underscoring the broader challenge Bennett faces.