Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he does not boycott Itamar Ben-Gvir or Bezalel Smotrich and indicated he is open to sitting with them in a future coalition, according to remarks he made at an event in Efrat and in recordings published Thursday morning.

In his public remarks, Bennett said he does not impose a boycott on Ben-Gvir or on Smotrich. Bennett claimed that it is Ben-Gvir and Smotrich who have boycotted him, not the other way around.

In leaked recordings, Bennett addressed both figures directly. Speaking about Ben-Gvir, Bennett said:
“I won’t boycott him, but he is simply a very, very, very unserious person. People don’t like to say it, but clowning is not a substitute for seriousness.”

Bennett contrasted Ben-Gvir with Smotrich, saying that while Smotrich is currently very combative, he knows how to work within government frameworks, works very hard, and is a serious person. Bennett said he wants to ensure that after the election, there will be significant pressure on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to stop boycotting him and to agree to sit with him.

Bennett did not address whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be part of such a government. His comments focused on his relationship with Ben-Gvir and Smotrich and the possibility of post-election cooperation with them.

His remarks triggered reactions within the opposition bloc. Avigdor Liberman wrote on X that Netanyahu must not be partnered with “under any conditions or circumstances.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he agrees with Liberman and added that only a large and strong Yesh Atid party would prevent a government that includes Ben-Gvir and the Haredi parties. Liberman later told partners in the opposition bloc that anyone who supports gender exclusion or draft-exemption legislation would not be part of his coalition.