With Knesset elections approaching, a new group of candidates is stepping forward, and some of them could become the ministers of the future. One of them is Amir Sturgo, who is running on Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad list.
Sturgo serves as CEO of Aharai, an organization that works to build leadership skills among Israeli young people. He is a veteran of the Second Lebanon War and saw combat during the October 7 massacre. He has completed more than 450 days of reserve duty.
He lives in the Negev, and within B'Yachad he helps lead the party's policies on fighting crime, with a particular focus on the region where he lives.
Asked what drew him into politics, Sturgo pointed to loss and service. After losing 66 Aharai alumni and spending over 450 days in the reserves, he decided that politics must become his mission. He described the move as a continuation of the path he followed in the military, in education and in civil society.
On his choice of party, Sturgo said he believes Bennett has the experience and skills needed to lead Israel at a critical moment. He argued that B'Yachad is the only party presenting detailed action plans for the roots of the country's problems, among them the conscription crisis, the collapse of the education system, rampant crime and the erosion of governance. He said he and his neighbors in the Negev see that last problem every day.
Sturgo named a proposal called the "Revolution for Those Who Serve" as central to the party's platform. In his view, investing in the part of the public that serves and works makes the nation stronger, safer and more prosperous. Investing instead in draft evasion and in education systems that fail to teach core subjects, he said, leads to predictable consequences for national security and the economy. "This is the choice before us," he said.
He credited Bennett with a record of delivering results as minister of education, minister of economy, minister of defense and prime minister. As examples he cited the "5-unit" advanced-level education reform, the quietest year in the south in terms of security, and lower prices in the economy. He added that Bennett succeeded in every role he held, including earlier careers as a businessman and a commander.
Sturgo also spoke about unity. A former military commander, he lives in a community that includes both religious and secular residents, and he said unity is for him a way of life and not just a slogan. He described Bennett as a leader who can bring together all parts of the nation and shape a shared Israeli narrative.
His advice for others thinking about entering politics was brief: follow your heart and your inner convictions all the way, and do not let peripheral noise hold you back.