Bennett Addresses LGBTQ+ Community Event Ahead of Knesset Elections
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett addressed an LGBTQ+ community event in Tel Aviv as part of the Be-яхад electoral list campaign, discussing his personal evolution and commitment to civil equality ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections.
With 47 days left until the election for the 26th Knesset and days after the candidate lists were submitted, political parties are increasingly focusing on their core bases. On Wednesday evening, a campaign event for the LGBTQ+ community hosted by the «Бе-яхад» list took place in northern Tel Aviv, featuring former Prime Minister Нафтали Беннет under heavy security.
Campaign Focus and Liberal Alliances
"These are the most critical elections in the history of the country," declared MK Йорай Лахав-Херцану. "We recognize that a brief window of opportunity will open after the elections to pass all the Sagi equality laws. Therefore, we must work to ensure that more than sixty liberal Members of Knesset enter parliament and vote in favor of absolute equality in health, education, welfare, and every other sphere."
MK Эйтан Гинзбург, who joined Нафтали Беннет's party from Бени Ганц's former faction, addressed the audience directly: "I know there are many questions and concerns here regarding Нафтали Беннет. He has undergone a change."
Bennett on Personal Transformation
Нафтали Беннет confessed to the attendees about his personal evolution:
"I grew up in religious Zionism in a very conservative environment. In my school, there were no declared homosexuals or lesbians—though today, in retrospect, I know of a few who were. Even in the army, in Maglan and Sayeret Matkal, there was no one."
He continued: "In recent years, a young entrepreneur approached me. I helped her start a technology startup. She raised a son with her female partner, and when they separated—badly—she prevented her from seeing the child she raised, and there was no law to protect her right. She cried, and so did I. I changed, and I understand that there is work to be done."
When asked about his past stance on marriage, Нафтали Беннет stated: "I said here that I will pass the Sagi equality laws." Regarding whether he intends to appoint Йорай Лахав-Херцану as a minister, he remarked: "I will need to sit with Yorai, but I prefer not to make commitments at this stage."
Social Stances and Future Realities
Нафтали Беннет emphasized his belief in a democratic state with equal rights for all, despite his conservative upbringing. During the open Q&A session, the director of the Be'er Sheva Gay Center raised concerns regarding budget cuts to regional LGBTQ+ initiatives.
Concluding his remarks, Нафтали Беннет acknowledged: "The LGBTQ+ community is not at the top of my priority list. I am in favor of equal rights, but this is not an issue that burns in my bones." He added that his role is to provide full backing to representatives for whom this issue is paramount.
The «Бе-яхад» list currently lacks religious candidates, reflecting a strategic pivot toward liberal and centrist demographics. However, the true test of these political shifts will lie in legislative actions following the October 27, 2026 vote.
