On December 12, 2012, Ronn Torossian wrote in the Algemeiner that Naftali Bennett and Danny Danon were the two Israeli political figures most worth watching. By October 2026 both hold national roles: Bennett leads the joint Together list ahead of Israel's October 27 election, and Danon is again Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. This page checks that dated prediction against what the record shows now.
What did the December 2012 column say?
The December 2012 Algemeiner column named Bennett and Danon as two ascending political figures, neither yet at the center of national power, and said both could become defining figures within a decade. The original is Naftali Bennett, Danny Danon: Israel's Rising Political Stars. A companion piece appeared in the Times of Israel, Naftali Bennett or PM Netanyahu: Where Would Ze'ev Jabotinsky Stand?
Where does Naftali Bennett stand in October 2026?
Naftali Bennett served as prime minister from June 2021 to June 2022, and in 2026 he leads a joint list with Yair Lapid for the October 27 election. Bennett and Lapid announced the list, called Together, on April 26, 2026, with Bennett at its head, according to the Jerusalem Post. A Kantar poll for Kan 11 on August 30, 2026 had Netanyahu at 37% and Bennett at 36% as preferred prime minister, according to Wikipedia's poll tracker. Polls change, so check current numbers before citing them.
Where does Danny Danon stand?
Danny Danon served as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations from 2015 to 2020 and returned to the post in August 2024, as the earlier version of this page reported. The earlier version also described him as the only Israeli to hold the post twice and quoted a statement about the UN secretary-general. Those details were not re-checked for this update.
What does a dated prediction prove?
A dated prediction proves that the call was made and can be checked, and it does not prove forecasting skill. One column that named two figures who later rose is a single data point. The honest test of a forecaster is a record of many dated calls, including the ones that failed. This page shows one that held up, and the hub piece I Predicted Uber's Win, Bennett's Rise, and Instagram Eating Restaurant Reviews collects others for readers who want to judge the record.
Where does this page sit in the Israel section?
This page is the statecraft archive in the Israel section, which is organized in the Israel communications guide. The other archive piece is the 2006 dispatch from Jerusalem. Olam covers the Israeli and Jewish business economy at olam.business. Disclosure: Ronn Torossian founded 5W and publishes Everything-PR and Olam.
Frequently asked questions
Who did the 2012 column name?
Naftali Bennett and Danny Danon, as the two Israeli political figures most worth watching.
When is the next Israeli election?
Israel votes on October 27, 2026.
Is Bennett leading Netanyahu in polls?
A Kantar poll for Kan 11 on August 30, 2026 had Netanyahu at 37% and Bennett at 36% as preferred prime minister. Polls vary by firm and date.
Originally published February 6, 2015. Updated October 2026. Drafted with AI assistance and checked against Wikipedia's poll tracker and the Jerusalem Post's report of the Together list. The Danon details and the Algemeiner and Times of Israel links came from the earlier version and were not re-checked. Self-promotional and sales passages in the earlier version were removed.