After days of speculation over his whereabouts during the election campaign, it has emerged that former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spent the week in Sun Valley, Idaho, attending the invitation-only Allen & Co. conference, one of the world’s most exclusive gatherings of business and technology leaders.

According to published reports, Bennett received a personal invitation from the conference organizers and was the only Israeli invited to participate this year. His attendance comes at a politically challenging time for the Together Party, which he founded with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, as recent polls have shown the party steadily losing projected Knesset seats.

Held each July, the annual Sun Valley conference transforms the small Idaho resort town into a hub for many of the world’s most influential figures in media, technology, finance, and politics. Often jokingly referred to as “every kidnapper’s wish list,” the gathering attracts top executives, billionaires, investors, and current and former political leaders from around the world.

Among the high-profile attendees this year were Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, Spotify CEO Alex Norström, and Fox Corporation and News Corp chairman Lachlan Murdoch. Also attending were CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and political figures including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

The conference is known for its strict privacy and extensive security. With no formal media schedule, the event has earned a reputation as a venue where major business deals are quietly negotiated and influential discussions take place on the future of technology, artificial intelligence, and the global economy. Even the world’s wealthiest attendees are required to wear simple name badges throughout the conference.

Bennett’s participation comes as questions continue to swirl over his political future. Strategic adviser Nevo Cohen recently suggested that, in light of his party’s declining poll numbers, Bennett could ultimately decide to leave politics altogether. At the same time, his former adviser, Dr. Amtzia Samkai, has sharply criticized Bennett’s proposed strategy for weakening Iran, calling the plans “detached from reality” and accusing the former prime minister of presenting a misleading picture.