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JERUSALEM — Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has issued a stark warning to Western nations, arguing that the absence of a Jewish state in the Middle East would inevitably lead to a resurgence of large-scale terrorist attacks against the United States and Europe .
In an interview promoting his new book, Bennett portrayed Israel as the “frontline defender” of the West against the kind of radical Islamist terror that produced the September 11, 2001, attacks.
“Imagine for a moment we don’t exist. Okay. And you’ve got the Middle East festering with jihadists and al-Qaeda type and ISIS and we know what’ll happen. They’re going to hit the Twin Towers, 9/11.” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel
🛡️ Israel as ‘Frontline Defender’
Bennett’s argument is that Israel acts as a “sponge” for Islamist terror, absorbing attacks that would otherwise be directed at American and European targets. According to this logic, the Israeli military and intelligence services keep Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hezbollah, and other groups too busy fighting the Jewish state to plan and execute mass-casualty attacks in the West.
The claim is not new: Israeli leaders have long used a version of it to justify sustaining the country’s qualitative military edge (QME). But Bennett’s direct reference to 9/11 is unusually provocative.
Bennett is seeking to influence the Western (especially U.S.) public, reminding Americans and Europeans that they benefit from Israel’s existence, whether they acknowledge it or not. The message is tailored for Republican audiences, who tend to view Israel as a strategic asset, not a liability .
🗳️ Domestic Political Context
The former prime minister is currently running for re-election in the October 27, 2026, Knesset elections, as co-leader of the “Together” (Yachad) alliance with Yair Lapid. The overtly pro-American, pro-Western framing is aimed at voters who are exhausted by the war and want a leader who can communicate effectively with Washington — not fight with the White House.
But Bennett’s 9/11 comparison implicitly blames the U.S., suggesting that if America fails to support Israel, it will once again suffer a devastating attack on its soil. The remark could backfire by angering Americans who resent the suggestion that the United States cannot defend itself .
🌍 International Rebuttal: Israeli Policy Not the Only Factor
While Bennett is correct that Israel disrupts some terror plots, critics note that the country’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the expansion of settlements have also been a major driver of anti-Western radicalism. leaving out the role of U.S. policy (the 2003 Iraq invasion) and European colonialism in the rise of Al-Qaeda and ISIS stretches the facts.
Bennett’s phrasing — “imagine for a moment we don’t exist” — is a hypothetical intended to provoke, not a forecast of an inevitable 9/11 rerun if Israel is destroyed .
📋 Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| Bennett’s Warning | Without Israel, “they’re going to hit the Twin Towers, 9/11” |
| Rationale | Israel serves as the “frontline defender” against Islamist terror for the West |
| Target Audience | American and European publics (especially Republicans) |
| Political Motive | Campaigning for October 2026 Knesset elections (Bennett-Lapid alliance) |
| Criticism | Ignores role of U.S. and European foreign policies in creating terror networks; oversimplifies the threat |
| Not a Foreign Policy Speech | The remark is part of a campaign push aimed at Western voters |
Follow Reflecto News for continuous updates on the 2026 Knesset elections, Bennett’s campaign, and all breaking news from the Middle East.
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