23-Year-Old Held at Bennett Rally After Shoving Guard

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett was campaigning in Tel Aviv on Saturday night for a commission of inquiry into October 7 failures when an altercation unfolded near him.

Police arrested a 23-year-old from Givatayim after he shoved one of Bennett's bodyguards, according to a report dated October 24. The man was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

Witness accounts collected by investigators said the man approached the security detail while shouting "Only Bibi" at Bennett and his staff, a phrase backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Guards instructed him to stay back from Bennett and pushed him away. The man did not comply, confronted the guard, and shoved him in return.

Security personnel subdued the man and held him at the scene. Officers who arrived at the park arrested him and took him to a police station for questioning. Authorities said the man has no criminal record. Investigators are examining the circumstances of the incident.

Bennett led the government from June 2021 to June 2022 and now chairs the B'Yachad party. The rally took place ahead of the 2026 Knesset elections, with IDF soldiers voting at military polling stations earlier this week.