Bennett: We must tell Trump the 'truth' about peace process
In an interview with Al-Monitor, HaBayit HaYehudi leader Naftali Bennett says that "the age of maneuvering is over" as the Israeli government must be honest with US President Donald Trump about the reality of creating a Palestinian state.
![USA-TRUMP/ISRAEL Naftali Bennett, leader of far-right Jewish Home party, attends a party meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem January 16, 2017. Picture taken January 16, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RTSW9LJ](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2017/05/RTSW9LJ.jpg/RTSW9LJ.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=8PhfsLIb)
Israel's Education Minister Naftali Bennett is not exactly disappointed with President Donald Trump. He is more disappointed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reports that Trump is planning a two-state solution and that he wants to revive the diplomatic process so he can reach the ultimate deal to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict have sounded a death knell to the Israeli right's expectations and messianic visions, which considered the prospect of a Palestinian state dead and buried. Bennett, the chairman of HaBayit HaYehudi, laid out his view in detail during an interview with Al-Monitor.
"I expected that this is what would happen if we were passive," said Bennett. "We should have acted as soon as Trump took office and maybe even earlier. There was a vacuum, and we should have filled it, but we hesitated and got the same old template instead."