Outgoing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced: I will not to run in the upcoming elections

Outgoing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Wednesday evening his intention not to run in the upcoming elections. His office said Bennett would remain in office as an alternate prime minister after the rotation took place. In a special statement he later made from the Knesset, Bennett announced that "now is my time to step back a little and look at things from the outside." He thanked his political partners, who he said "stood by my side even when it was difficult," and announced that Minister Ayelet Shaked would take over the leadership of the right-wing party. Ynet broadcast the retirement speech live.
In his statement, Bennett said that he intends to "help" Yair Lapid upon taking office as prime minister, which is expected tomorrow. "I will help him as much as he needs. His success is the success of the state. The transfer of the job will be professional and orderly. The good of the state, and only its good, before my eyes. So it was, and so it will be. "My life. To serve the country is my vocation," he said.
Bennett added that in his short time - a little over a year - his government has managed to bring many achievements: "I am finishing over a year today on a mission for you as Prime Minister. There is no harder work but no greater right than that. I leave a prosperous, strong and secure country. "To do in a year what many governments did not do in an entire term. The State of Israel is back to being managed."
He said, "We brought peace to the south, something that has not been the case for years, we brought hundreds of thousands of unemployed back to work, we overcame two waves of Corona without closures, we fought resolutely against a wave of terror and we could, we raised our beloved soldiers' wages, and made it clear to our enemy. The price in his own house. " He added, without elaborating: "Soon there will be more important news in areas related to our future and our power."
In his remarks, Bennett referred to the great anger towards him on the right due to his decision to form a government in cooperation with the left-wing parties and the RAAM: I heard the voices. I respect them. And when it hurts an Israeli citizen, it hurts me. "
He said, "Every group in Israel will sometimes be in the coalition and sometimes in the opposition. We must learn to accept that. This is the right arrangement. Every half of the people must not feel mourning when the other half forms a government.
Bennett added: "This year we have proven that people with different opinions can work together. No one should give up their positions, but it is certainly possible and necessary to put aside, for a while, ideological debates and take care of the economy, security and future of Israeli citizens. "Even at this time we want to remind ourselves: only together will we win. If we are divided, we simply will not be. If we are united, no one will be able to us. Let us be good to each other. Let us listen. Let us learn to recognize and respect instead of hate."
At the end of his statement, Bennett thanked his family members, hinting at the threats they received: "I would like to thank my wife Gilat and my children Yoni, Michal, Abigail and David - who paid heavy prices in the past year. To my mother, Mirena Bennett, who is the role model of my life."
He also thanked his political partners: "I would especially like to thank my partner, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, for taking over the party leadership. I am sure she will succeed in leading it for the better. Courage in carrying out reforms and eternal optimism.
"I also thank MKs Avir Kara and Shirley Pinto who stood by my side even when it was difficult. Above all - I thank the Blessed One. Even when I walked in the Valley of Death, I did not see bad, because God was standing," Bennett added. MK Pinto, by the way, was documented crying while listening to Bennett's remarks nearby.
Prior to the announcement of his decision to retire, Bennett spoke with Shaked this morning, and she understood the direction he was heading. They spoke once more at noon, after which the decision was announced tonight. Shaked told her associates: "His retirement is a great loss to the State of Israel." Although Bennett is handing over the baton of the party's right-wing party to Shaked, it has not yet decided where it is headed, and whether it will run in the election itself. However, later in the evening, Shaked tweeted: "We're leaving."
Bennett's announcement tonight puts an end to speculation about his political future, which has arisen since he announced just last week his decision to disband the coalition he formed with Lapid, after he said he had "exhausted" attempts to stabilize it. Since that decision to advance the election, Bennett has refused to comment on his political future, claiming that he devotes most of his energy to government action and preparing Lapid to take over as prime minister, a move that is expected to materialize immediately after the dissolution of the Knesset. The coalition and opposition factions on the date of the election and a series of laws that will be promoted by agreement.
Just as Bennett finished his statement, Lapid posted a concise farewell message on Twitter: "My brother Naftali, thank you in my name and in the name of all the people of Israel." President Yitzhak Herzog was the first to say goodbye to Bennett this evening, and congratulated him on Twitter: "I thanked Prime Minister Naftali Bennett today for our close cooperation for the State of Israel and its security and for working for the good of the public and the state before his eyes. Good luck to him in his future endeavors. "
Meretz chairman Nitzan Horowitz also praised Bennett: "In the past year, I have worked very closely with Prime Minister Bennett. In two corona waves, every day, several times a day. There are disagreements and politics, but I discovered a hard-working and matter-of-fact person who really cares about the public. His positions are not my positions and that is clear, but I have great appreciation for him. Israel has earned a year of good government, much to its credit. Straighten up. "
A new Tikva chairman, Minister Gideon Saar, also praised Bennett, calling him an "Israeli patriot." We worked in full cooperation for Israel and its citizens. I am convinced that he will return to serve the country in the future. Naftali, thank you and good luck! ". The blue and white chairman, Minister Bnei Gantz, said:" Thank you for everything you have done.