In a scathing critique, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett declared that the country’s political and military leadership must be replaced, citing a lack of good values and prioritization of personal interests over the state’s well-being.

Speaking at the Israel Hayom newspaper conference in Herzliya, Bennett stated, “We need change. The leadership is not good — it does not have good values.” He accused the current leadership of putting personal interests ahead of the state’s needs and engaging in “childish and irresponsible behavior.”

Bennett’s comments appeared to target the ruling coalition, as he mentioned statements like “We’ll bomb here” or “We’ll drop an atom bomb on Gaza” as examples of irresponsible leadership. He emphasized that change is necessary, saying, “It will happen in the State of Israel… the leadership must be changed… the political leadership and, honestly, the security leadership too.”

Bennett’s remarks were met with applause, and in a separate interview with The New York Times, he reiterated his call for new leadership, stating, “All the senior leadership of Israel, political and military, needs to be replaced.” Columnist Bret Stephens interpreted Bennett’s comments as a sign that he is planning to return to politics, aiming to topple the current coalition and push for elections this year.