Ex-Israel PM: Arabs should not be part of Israel’s future gov’t, only Zionists

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told a private gathering of US students on Tuesday that if he returns to politics, his next government would exclude Arab parties, unlike his previous coalition. He argued that Israel should be led exclusively by Zionist parties during this period, reported the Times of Israel.

Speaking at Columbia University in New York, Bennett proposed forming a broad coalition of up to 90 Knesset members (out of 120) to “put Israel on the right track again” but stressed that only Zionist parties would be included.

Despite this stance, he claimed that his government would still be responsible for ensuring the rights and well-being of Palestinian citizens of Israel. However, he added, “because of the war that’s going on right now, and because of the composition of the Arab parties, it doesn’t make sense for them to join the government.”

Moreover, Bennett praised US President Donald Trump for his role in the ceasefire and prisoner release deal, arguing that his leadership style “creates a meaningful level of deterrence in the Middle East – people are afraid, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

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According to Haaretz, Bennett called the past year the “worst in Israel’s history” and blamed internal divisions over judicial reforms for creating vulnerabilities that Hamas exploited. “Had we had a unified country, we wouldn’t have been distracted,” he stated. He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of prioritising political survival over national security, eroding trust in leadership.

Bennett’s speech at Columbia University sparked strong backlash, prompting several student groups to protest his presence on campus.

The event, hosted by Barnard College-Hillel, Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs, and the Kraft Centre for Jewish Student Life, was met with demonstrations led by Jewish Voice for Peace and the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition. Protesters gathered inside the campus and at the 116th and Broadway gates, holding banners that read, “War criminal off our campus.”

US police violently remove protest against ex-Israel PM at Colombia University

Over 200 pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with police at Columbia University when officers violently removed some activists who were taking part in a demonstration against ex-Israeli Prime Minister… pic.twitter.com/Bx4plYn54R

— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) March 6, 2025

“By agreeing to host Naftali Bennett while excluding students who feel comfortable challenging his reprehensible policy proposals, CBHillel is implicitly endorsing these policies, intentionally or not,” Columbia Jews for Ceasefire said in a statement.

Columbia was at the centre of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to US support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s assault on Gaza in April last year.

During last summer’s demonstrations around the country, classes were cancelled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

Meanwhile, Trump has pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests and cut the federal funding of colleges that allow what he called “illegal protests”.

READ: Trump threatens funding cut to colleges allowing ‘illegal protests’