cnn
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Here's a look at the life of former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Birthdate: March 25, 1972
Place of birth: Haifa, Israel
Birth name: Naftali Bennett
Father: Jim Bennett
Mother: Myrna (Lefko) Bennett
Marriage: Gilat Bennett (1999-present)
Children: Four children
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Bachelor of Laws
Military service: Sayeret Matkal and Maglan Units of the Israel Defense Forces, 1990-1996, Commander
Religion: Jew
His parents are immigrants from San Francisco.
He is a former technology entrepreneur and millionaire.
Bennett is considered comparatively liberal on a number of issues. Despite his religious background, he said homosexuals should “fully have all the civil rights that a heterosexual person has in Israel,” the Times of Israel reported, although he also said that did not mean he would take steps to ensure legal equality.
April 18, 1996 – During his military service, Bennett leads a unit in Lebanon during Israel's “Operation Grapes of Wrath,” in which an Israeli artillery strike near a UN camp kills more than 100 civilians. The incident is known as the Qana Massacre.
1999 – He moves from Israel to New York to launch tech startup Cyota, an anti-fraud and cybersecurity software company.
2005 – Sells Cyota to RSA Security for $145 million.
2006-2008 – He serves as chief of staff under Benjamin Netanyahu.
2009 – He serves as CEO of Soluto, a software company, for several months.
January 2010-January 2012 – He serves as director of the Yesha Council, an organization representing Jewish settlements in the West Bank and their populations.
2012 – He leads the pro-settler Jewish Home party, making his desire to prevent the formation of a Palestinian state a central point of his speech to voters.
March 2013 – Appointed Minister of Economy, Minister of Religious Services, Minister of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs.
November 5, 2014 – He writes in an op-ed in the New York Times: “The old models of peace between Israel and the Palestinians are no longer relevant. “The time has come to rethink the two-state solution.”
February 2015 – Appointed Acting Minister of Elderly Affairs
May 2015 – Appointed Minister of Education and Minister of Diaspora Affairs.
October 8, 2018 – The Times of Israel reports that Bennett says that if he were defense minister, he would implement a “shoot to kill” policy on the Gaza border. When asked if that would apply to children who cross the barrier, he responds: “They are not children, they are terrorists. “We are fooling ourselves.”
2019 – Changes the name of the Jewish Home party to “Yamina” after merging with another party.
May 30, 2021 – Bennett announces that he is working toward a coalition deal with Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, to join a new government.
June 2, 2021 – Lapid announces that an eight-party coalition agreement has been signed. Under the agreement, Bennett will focus on domestic issues during his two years as prime minister, before handing the reins to Lapid in August 2023.
June 13, 2021 – Bennett is sworn in as Israel's new prime minister after winning a vote of confidence 60 to 59, ending Netanyahu's run as the country's prime minister after more than 12 consecutive years in office.
December 12, 2021 – Bennett travels to the United Arab Emirates to meet with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. Bennet is the first Israeli prime minister to visit the United Arab Emirates.
February 14, 2022 – He travels to Bahrain to meet with the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa. Bennett is the first Israeli prime minister to visit Bahrain.
June 29, 2022 – Bennett announces that he will not run for re-election as prime minister, the day before the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, votes to dissolve, triggering new elections. Bennett's coalition partner Lapid will take over as interim prime minister on July 1.
