Stealing the Playbook: Bennett Recruits Trump and Netanyahu’s "Secret Weapons" for 2026 Power Grab

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is no longer just "testing the waters" for a political comeback, he’s diving into the deep end with some of the most formidable shark-hunters in the business.

In a move that signals a shift from social media teasers to a high-octane professional campaign, Bennett announced the recruitment of two legendary American political heavyweights: George Birnbaum and Tony Fabrizio.

Birnbaum is the former partner of the late, legendary Arthur Finkelstein who has been a fixture in Israeli elections since 1996 and has managed over 20 national campaigns globally. He knows the Israeli voter’s DNA as well as anyone alive.

Fabrizio is currently a top pollster and advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump. Fabrizio is a veteran of five presidential cycles and is known for surgical precision in audience segmentation and "message discipline."

While the hires scream "Prime Ministerial," the political math remains a complex puzzle. According to the latest Maariv polls, Bennett’s hypothetical party is surging to 23 seats, making him the strongest force in the anti-Netanyahu camp, trailing Likud’s 26.

However, Bennett’s strategic commitments are creating a narrow corridor to power:

The Reality Check: If you exclude both groups, the math for a 61-seat majority becomes nearly impossible without, ironically, Benjamin Netanyahu.

This has led opposition insiders to speculate whether Bennett’s "comeback" is actually an audition for a dominant partnership with Likud, rather than a total replacement.

Bennett’s current rhetoric is draped in the language of "healing and unifying" a fractured nation. Yet, the recruitment of Birnbaum and Fabrizio, men known for "war-room" style campaigning, suggests a different reality behind the scenes.