Naftali Bennett Warns of State's End Over Ultra-Orthodox Crisis

Former Prime Minister and "Be-Yachad" party leader Naftali Bennett issued a severe warning on Monday regarding the country's future if the ultra-Orthodox crisis—including core curriculum studies, military service, and civil integration—remains unresolved, describing the failure as nothing less than "the end of the state."

The Ultra-Orthodox Challenge

In an interview with Nadav Perry's podcast on the ALL in network, Bennett addressed the ultra-Orthodox issue, the judicial system, and the upcoming elections, which he defined as "emergency rescue elections."

"If we do not address the ultra-Orthodox issue, it finishes us—it is the end of the Jewish and democratic state," Bennett stated.

He noted that hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox children attend schools funded by taxpayers that teach against Zionism and democracy, lacking mathematics and English. They currently make up a third of first-grade children, and within a decade will represent 40 percent of draft-age cohorts.

Proposed Solutions

Bennett presented a comprehensive restructuring plan, proposing zero funding for non-core educational networks alongside the establishment of ultra-Orthodox hesder yeshivas along the borders. These institutions would combine eight hours of Torah study with eight hours of military service in the Jordan Valley, Sinai, and the Gaza border.

Addressing the constitutional crisis, Bennett proposed enshrining the Declaration of Independence as a preamble to secure a Jewish nation-state with equal rights for all citizens, alongside a Basic Law on Legislation and limiting the prime minister's tenure to eight years.

At the conclusion of the interview, Bennett called on Israelis living abroad to participate in the upcoming elections, emphasizing their right and duty to help secure the nation's future.