'Diplomatic emergency': Bennett presents plan for restoring Israel's position in US, Middle East

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, chairman of the B'Yachad party, unveiled his foreign policy platform, emphasizing the urgent need to restore Israel's standing with the American public, strengthen ties with Washington, and re-establish Israel as a key player in the Middle East. Bennett described the current situation as a "diplomatic emergency," stating, "We have an organized plan of action to restore Israel's standing among US citizens." He pledged to revive the "octopus strategy" against Iran, directly targeting the regime rather than its proxies, and to complete the disarmament of Hamas in Gaza, replacing Qatar and Turkey with Egypt and other interested nations in regional frameworks. Bennett also proposed leveraging economic and diplomatic pressure on Hezbollah while maintaining control of the security zone, seeking security agreements in Syria to distance Turkey and secure Golan Heights recognition, and integrating Israel into regional economic initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. He criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu for potentially allowing Saudi civilian nuclear development and highlighted efforts with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid to delay European measures against Israel, concluding that external diplomatic power relies on internal strength.