Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett reached out to Gideon Sa'ar several months ago to explore potential political cooperation ahead of upcoming elections, according to a report by political correspondent Michael Shemesh. The approach came shortly after Sa'ar returned to Israel following his stint as a government minister.
According to the report, Sa'ar declined the meeting request, and no discussion between the two politicians took place. The refusal stems from Sa'ar's reservations about the so-called "change government" that Bennett led from 2021 to 2022 — a coalition that included left-wing parties and, controversially, the support of an Arab Islamist party. Sa'ar has reportedly ruled out any collaboration with figures who were part of that government.
In response to the report, Bennett's office issued a statement saying: "Former Prime Minister Bennett is working and will continue to work to create a Zionist government so that together we can fix Israel." The statement did not directly address the reported outreach to Sa'ar or his refusal to meet.
