National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, chairman of the Otzma Yehudit Party, launched a sharp criticism against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday following reports that Netanyahu had facilitated discussions between Religious Zionist Party leader and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Zehut Party founder Moshe Feiglin regarding a potential merger between their parties.
“I was astonished to learn that Smotrich and Feiglin engaged in advanced merger negotiations with your mediation, only for you and Smotrich to issue a calculated unity appeal toward me—solely to pressure Feiglin into lowering his demands,” Ben-Gvir stated.
“It is one thing to boycott events I attend and feel embarrassed to be photographed alongside me,” the minister continued, referencing recent media attention surrounding the recovered Altalena vessel. “But even an emotional appeal for unity is merely a cynical manipulation?!”
“Mr. Prime Minister, allow me to remind you: my name is Itamar Ben-Gvir, not Benny Gantz,” he added.
Ben-Gvir’s latest remarks come amid an escalating series of exchanges between the Otzma Yehudit leader and the prime minister in recent days.
Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir Engage in Heated Social Media Exchange
On Thursday, Netanyahu called upon Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to consolidate their political positions ahead of the upcoming elections in a video shared on social media platforms.
At the outset of the video, an interviewer posed the question to Netanyahu: “What about Smotrich and Ben-Gvir?”
“They must unite,” he responded. “Every occasion we have run together, we have achieved victory. When we have run separately, we have suffered defeat.”
“I recognize that personal grievances exist between them,” the prime minister continued. “They must transcend these differences. I will extend invitations to them in the coming days. We will make every conceivable effort to achieve unity, and this is precisely what the public demands from them—and rightly so.”
Ben-Gvir countered Netanyahu’s assertions in his own video statement, alleging that the prime minister seeks “a diminished Otzma Yehudit Party so that he can ally with Eisenkot to form a ‘broad national government.'”
“Only a robust Otzma Yehudit, combined with Smotrich and Ofer Winter running jointly, can establish a genuinely right-wing government,” Ben-Gvir declared.
Netanyahu Accuses Ben-Gvir of Endangering the Nation Through ‘Personal Whims’
Ben-Gvir’s video prompted a swift response from Netanyahu via a post on X/Twitter, addressing Ben-Gvir directly: “All polling data indicates that should Ben-Gvir and Smotrich unite, this would form a powerful party that strengthens the right-wing bloc.”
“Smotrich stands dangerously close to the electoral threshold,” Netanyahu warned. “Should you refuse to unite with him, we will witness the emergence of a left-wing government led by Eisenkot alongside Yair Golan and the Arab parties.”
The prime minister further charged that Ben-Gvir was placing the nation’s interests at risk based on “personal whims.”
Responding to this, Ben-Gvir pushed back firmly, once again accusing Netanyahu of attempting to weaken the Otzma Yehudit Party to facilitate the formation of a broad national government with Eisenkot.
He suggested that “the ideal scenario” would involve Winter and Smotrich merging their respective parties.
“In your own words, Winter does not attract any significant support from undecided voters,” Ben-Gvir observed.
“I will do everything in my power to prevent you from forming a government with Eisenkot! Only a right-wing government!!!”
Smotrich largely remained apart from the exchange, posting on Twitter/X that “the time for unity and responsibility is now.”
