Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett praised President Trump for his tireless efforts to free Israeli hostages, but blasted Israel’s government for agreeing to a deal that apologizes to Qatar and frees hundreds of Hamas terrorists.
Bennett: Gratitude to Trump, Fury at Jerusalem
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued a powerful statement acknowledging U.S. President Donald Trump’s role in pressuring Hamas to release Israeli captives, while fiercely criticizing the government’s concessions to Qatar and the mass release of terrorists.
“I wish to thank President Donald Trump, who works with all his might to secure the release of our hostages,” Bennett wrote. “We will never forget that during the October 7th massacre, over 1,200 Israelis were murdered, burned, and raped, and 251 were abducted from their beds. This was a terrible failure that demands a state commission of inquiry.”
Bennett underscored the immense sacrifices Israel has borne since then: hundreds of soldiers killed in Gaza, dozens of hostages murdered in captivity, and the nation’s failure to decisively crush Hamas.
“Apologizing to the Funders of Massacre”
Bennett condemned the deal as capitulation:
- Apology to Qatar – the very state that bankrolled Hamas.
- Release of hundreds of terrorists – many “Sinwar-like” murderers who could kill again.
- Failure of leadership – proof that the government could not defeat Hamas or bring all hostages home by force.
“This is a difficult move, but a necessary one,” Bennett conceded, “because our captive brothers are rotting in Hamas dungeons, and the price we are and will continue to pay will be unbearable.”
A Call for National Renewal
Despite his outrage, Bennett looked ahead:
“The difficult chapter that our country is in must close with the return of our sons and daughters, and the transition into a new and different chapter of the unification and rehabilitation of the State of Israel.”