Bennett in Nahal Oz: "Hamas is growing stronger before our eyes"
The chairman of the "Beyhad" party spent the night at Kibbutz Nahal Oz following observer warnings and made a statement in the town of Carmit. Bennett addressed the issue of illegal arms smuggling, estimating that half a million illegal weapons are in circulation, and demanded that the phenomenon be classified as a national security threat.
Former Prime Minister and "Beyhad" chairman Naftali Bennett announced on Saturday that "in light of observers' warnings about Hamas's buildup," he decided to spend the night at Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the Gaza envelope. Residents of the kibbutz welcomed the move, stating that their doors are open to anyone running for the country's leadership.
"Kibbutz Nahal Oz, midnight Saturday," Bennett wrote on Facebook. "I decided to spend the night here, in a resident's home, to learn what is really happening. I hear from locals about Hamas growing stronger before our eyes, and about the anger over the failure to draw lessons, the lack of a commission of inquiry, and the fact that Qatar is setting the rules here. We will not allow the concepts and failures of the October 7th government to return. Together, we will restore security to the citizens of Israel."
Kibbutz Nahal Oz officials praised Bennett for his willingness to listen firsthand to the challenges facing the community.
A national security threat
On Sunday, the "Beyhad" chairman arrived at the community of Carmit in the northern Negev to address the issue of illegal weapons: "Hundreds of thousands of illegal weapons are being moved, endangering all citizens of Israel, Jews and Arabs alike. To fix this, we need a single leadership that defines this as a national, security, and terrorist threat. Anyone treating this as a mere criminal event is a prisoner of the old concept."
Bennett called for immediate action: "We need a clear plan and neutralization based on intelligence from the Shin Bet, Aman, and the Israel Police. Every smuggling route must be declared a closed police zone. We will bring in the Border Police and the IDF if necessary. We will confiscate the weapons, and criminals will be prosecuted as terrorists."
Borders have become highways
Bennett noted that the state lacks a precise estimate of the phenomenon, but it is believed that about half a million weapons are in circulation, including machine guns, rifles, and grenades. "The borders have become highways for arms smuggling. 80% of smuggling uses sophisticated means that the army often fails to intercept. This weaponry reaches terrorist organizations and is used for attacks in Judea and Samaria."
"Whoever controls the airspace of Tehran should know how to seal their borders," Bennett concluded. "We will establish an operations room for the IDF, Border Police, and Shin Bet, and we will activate all intelligence tools to address this."
