Former Prime Minister Says Israel Must Treat AI as National Security Infrastructure

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett said Thursday that artificial intelligence has become national-security infrastructure comparable to electricity and that Israel must secure its own capabilities at every layer of the ecosystem. Speaking on 103FM, Bennett said the government should ensure Israel is not dependent on others for infrastructure, chips, models, energy, and applications.

He acknowledged that building frontier models now would cost billions but argued domestic development and partnerships remain necessary.

Bennett said every Israeli child should receive a personal AI tutor, with the technology handling instruction and teachers focusing on education. He added that Israel must combine technological strength with renewed diplomatic outreach to Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, and possibly Saudi Arabia.

He also said he believes he could work with U.S. President Donald Trump on a business-oriented approach to normalization.

Bennett said Israel had focused too much on Iranian proxies while leaving the regime itself largely untouched. He claimed a broader strategy begun during his government was not continued after it fell. On domestic politics, Bennett said he and former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot should form a broad Zionist government and that he would do whatever is required to bring political change.