Naftali Bennett
Who was Naftali Bennett?
Israeli politician and former tech entrepreneur who served as Prime Minister from 2021 to 2022, leading a diverse coalition government. He previously founded and sold software company Cyota for $145 million.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Naftali Bennett (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Naftali Bennett is an Israeli politician and businessman who was Prime Minister of Israel from June 2021 to June 2022. He was born in Haifa on March 25, 1972, to American parents. Bennett is part of a generation of Israeli leaders who combined military service, tech entrepreneurship, and politics. He went to Yavne Religious High School and studied at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, setting the stage for his varied career path.
Bennett's time in elite military units shaped his leadership style. He was part of the Sayeret Matkal and Maglan special forces in the Israel Defense Forces, leading operations that influenced his political and business decisions later. After his military service, he moved into tech during Israel's tech boom. In 1999, he co-founded Cyota, a cybersecurity company focused on preventing online fraud. The company was sold for $145 million in 2005, marking Bennett as a successful entrepreneur. He later became CEO of Soluto, another Israeli tech company specializing in cloud computing, which sold for about $100-130 million in 2013.
Bennett's political career began in 2006 when he became Chief of Staff to Benjamin Netanyahu, a role he held until 2008. He entered electoral politics by leading The Jewish Home party in 2012. Under his leadership, the party did well in the 2013 Knesset elections, winning 12 seats. Bennett held several ministerial roles under Netanyahu, such as Minister of Economy and Religious Services from 2013 to 2015, and Minister of Education from 2015 to 2019. He focused on reforming Israel's education system and pushing for tech innovation in schools.
In 2018, Bennett left The Jewish Home to start the New Right party, which later joined the Yamina alliance. His political success varied, as he lost his Knesset seat in April 2019 but regained it in September. Bennett briefly served as Minister of Defense before making the decision that would shape his political legacy. In 2021, he formed a coalition with centrist Yair Lapid and other parties from different political backgrounds, ending Netanyahu's long run as Prime Minister. Leading the smallest party in the coalition, Bennett became Prime Minister through a rotation deal, heading one of Israel's most ideologically varied governments until it fell apart in 2022.
Before Fame
Bennett grew up in Haifa, the child of American immigrants during Israel's early years. His education at Yavne Religious High School was influenced by his religious Zionist background, which later shaped his political views. The mix of religious studies and secular education at Hebrew University placed him within Israel's national-religious community, important in the country's society and politics.
He started gaining recognition with his impressive military service in Israel's top units in the 1990s, a time of ongoing security issues for the country. His special forces experience gave him leadership skills and a security-focused mindset that became key to his political identity. Moving from military service to technology entrepreneurship was common in Israeli society, as many veterans used their technical skills and leadership experience to succeed in the growing tech industry.
Key Achievements
- Co-founded and sold Cyota for $145 million in 2005
- Led The Jewish Home party to 12 Knesset seats in 2013 elections
- Served as Israel's Prime Minister from 2021-2022, leading a historic unity coalition
- Successfully ended Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year consecutive tenure as Prime Minister
- Named to Time 100 Most Influential People list in 2021
Did You Know?
- 01.Bennett's company Cyota was headquartered in New York despite being founded by Israelis, reflecting the global nature of his business approach
- 02.He briefly lost his Knesset seat in April 2019, making him temporarily ineligible to serve as a minister
- 03.Bennett became Prime Minister as leader of a party with only 7 Knesset seats, making him the head of the smallest party to ever lead an Israeli government
- 04.He was included in Time magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People in 2021
- 05.Before entering politics, Bennett worked briefly in New York's financial sector
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Time 100 | 2021 | — |