Israel ruling party blasts Ben-Gvir for ruling out electoral alliance

Likud, Israel’s governing party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, slammed National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Friday for rejecting Netanyahu’s appeal to join Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party ahead of upcoming polls.

“By deciding to burn tens of thousands of right-wing votes and not unite with Smotrich, Ben-Gvir has decided today to enthrone a left-wing government of [Yashar party leader] Gadi Eisenkot, [Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor] Lieberman, [Democratic Party leader] Yair Golan, and the Arab parties,” Likud said in a statement.

The party questioned whether Ben-Gvir wanted a “broad national government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu that will continue the historic momentum we achieved in settlement in Judea and Samaria [i.e., the West Bank] over the past four years,” or whether the national security minister “for personal considerations, will burn right-wing votes to enthrone a left-wing government?”

Addressing Ben-Gvir, the party warned that an “Eisenkot-Lieberman-Yair Golan and Arab parties government will evict you from your home, Itamar. It will establish a Palestinian state. It will capitulate to every international dictate. It will destroy everything we've built.”

“Overcome the personal ego,” Netanyahu’s party urged Ben-Gvir. “Show maturity and responsibility.”

Opinion polls in Israel currently project Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party to win nine of the Knesset’s 120 seats, while a poll published Friday by Israeli daily Maariv projected that Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party would fail to win any seats.

Such a result would weaken the bloc supporting Netanyahu’s return to government and strengthen the opposition’s chances of forming the next governing coalition.

Slated for Oct. 27, the election is seen as crucial to the political future of Netanyahu, who faces a range of criminal charges, including bribery, fraud and breach of trust.

Netanyahu’s current government is widely described as the most right-wing in Israel’s history.

The 76-year-old prime minister has led the government since December 2022.

Netanyahu is also wanted by the International Criminal Court over war crimes committed against Palestinians in the embattled Gaza Strip.