Israel’s Naftali Bennett Sparks Outrage with “Pager” Threat at Harvard Talk

Massachusetts (Quds News Network)- Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett caused an uproar during his recent talk at Harvard Business School (HBS) by making a threatening remark about sending student protesters “a pager.” The comment, which is a reference to a deadly Israeli terrorist attack in Lebanon, has been widely condemned.

Bennett, who served as Israel’s prime minister from 2021 to 2022, was speaking at HBS on Thursday as part of his U.S. university tour. The event, titled “From the Boardroom to the World Stage,” focused primarily on his business background. However, a remark he made early in the discussion quickly overshadowed the conversation.

HBS professor Paul A. Gompers, who moderated the discussion, began by explaining Harvard’s guidelines on disruption. He stated that dissenting audience members who interrupted the event would be removed. Bennett then interjected, saying, “I think we’ll just give them a pager.”

The remark appeared to reference Israel’s September 17-18 attacks on Lebanon. During these attacks, Israeli forces detonated thousands of handheld pagers and walkie-talkies, killing dozens including women and children and injuring nearly 3,000, according to the Lebanese government. Initially, Israel did not claim responsibility, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later admitted to the operation in November 2024.

Many attendees found Bennett’s comment deeply disturbing. Harvard Kennedy School student Noa Margalit described it as “a clear threat, not just a joke.” Bennett has not held a government position since 2022 but has hinted at a possible political comeback.

Bennett’s appearance at Harvard was met with significant backlash. More than 100 demonstrators gathered to protest the event, marching from John F. Kennedy Park to Klarman Hall, where the discussion was held. This was one of the largest pro-Palestinian and anti-genocide protests at Harvard since last May, when hundreds walked out of the school’s Commencement ceremony.

Critics opposed Harvard’s decision to host Bennett due to his past statements. In a 2012 speech, he declared, “I will do everything in my ability, forever, to prevent a Palestinian state from being founded within the land of Israel.” In 2013 he also said: “I’ve killed many Arabs in my life, and there’s no problem with that.”

The Harvard Israel Business Club, which hosted the event, later issued a statement attempting to downplay the threat. “It was delivered within the context of his first words—explicitly thanking every single person in the room for being present,” they wrote.

Attendees also noted that the event featured pre-vetted questions submitted by the audience in advance. Harvard Kennedy School student Nitsan Machlis criticized the format, saying, “Too many of the questions were softball questions. They were more complimenting Bennett than challenging him.”

Before his Harvard talk, Bennett made several appearances at U.S. universities. Two days earlier, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs hosted him for an invite-only discussion. Unlike at Harvard, his remarks at Columbia were more politically charged.

According to reports, Bennett told the Columbia audience that if he were re-elected, Israel’s government would not include a Palestinian party. Instead, he said, the government would focus on putting “Zionists” in power.