Full Breakdown
Naftali Bennett Unveils “New Covenant” Blueprint for Rebuilding Israel
6/24/2026, 7:05:07 AM
The New Covenant: A Comprehensive Reform Blueprint
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, now chair of the Together party, presented a plan he termed the “New Covenant” at a Tuesday press conference. He described the current government as having broken the social contract and argued that Israel requires a “founding government, a David Ben-Gurion-style government” to rebuild state institutions from the ground up.
Core Reforms: Education, Economy, Security, and Governance
The proposal calls for a full overhaul of the Education Ministry, promising “public education at the level of a private school” and noting state spending of about NIS 50,000 per child—private-school costs without comparable quality. Bennett pledged to dismantle the “ultra-Orthodox state within a state,” cutting funding to Haredi institutions that teach anti-Zionist ideology. He announced an “all-out war against food cartels,” targeting Bright Food (owner of Tnuva), Shufersal, Unilever and Diplomat, and vowed to break them up to lower prices. He also proposes a new security cabinet using the “Al Capone method,” treating organized crime as a national-security threat and adding 20,000 IDF soldiers. Governance reforms include closing seven ministries, devolving authority to local governments, and appointing officials on merit.
Data & Statistics
- Education spending: NIS 50,000 per child.
- Additional IDF recruits: 20,000 soldiers.
- Ministries to close: seven.
- Food-industry targets: Bright Food (Tnuva), Shufersal, Unilever, Diplomat.
Why It Matters
If enacted, the New Covenant would reshape Israel’s public sector by raising education standards, ending subsidies for anti-Zionist Haredi curricula, and increasing competition in the food market. The security plan would elevate organized-crime investigations to a national-security priority, affecting law-enforcement resources. Merit-based appointments and performance metrics aim to boost governmental accountability and efficiency.
Official Statements & Responses
Bennett said the previous government “destroyed many state institutions” and that only a rebuild can restore functionality. He pledged to run the administration “according to high-tech standards, with measurable KPIs, personal accountability and transparency.” He also promised to end Israel’s diplomatic isolation by creating a public-diplomacy body and a unit comparable to Unit 8200 to counter adversaries.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The agreement between the state and its citizens has been broken. The last government destroyed many state institutions, and they can no longer simply be repaired - they need to be dismantled and rebuilt,” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister
- “We will launch an all-out war against food cartels,” — Naftali Bennett
- “We will restore security and move from rounds of escalation to decisive victory. Not a drone. Not a rocket. And certainly not force build-up.” — Naftali Bennett
- “Citizens will receive excellent service because we will run the government according to high-tech standards, with measurable KPIs, personal accountability, and transparency,” — Naftali Bennett
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The source material provides only Bennett’s statements; no independent assessments, opposition voices, or external analyses of the New Covenant are included, leaving the feasibility and impact of the proposals unverified.
