Key facts
- Itamar Ben Gvir refused to unite his Jewish Power party with Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party for the upcoming elections.
- Likud criticized Ben Gvir, suggesting his actions could lead to a left-wing government.
- Netanyahu invited Ben Gvir and Smotrich to meetings to discuss a joint run.
- Ben Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, stated that a joint run with Religious Zionism is final and will not be negotiated.
- Likud is reportedly considering supporting Smotrich's party to help it cross the electoral threshold.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has publicly criticized fellow cabinet minister Itamar Ben Gvir for refusing to unite his far-right Jewish Power party with Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party ahead of the October 27 elections. Likud expressed concern that Ben Gvir's stance could split the right-wing vote and potentially lead to a left-wing government.
Netanyahu had invited both Ben Gvir and Smotrich to meetings to encourage a joint run, emphasizing the need to avoid wasting votes. However, Ben Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, issued a definitive statement that a joint run with Religious Zionism is not possible and will not be negotiated. The party suggested alternatives, including uniting smaller right-wing factions or allocating Likud's reserved seats to Smotrich's party.
Reports from Hebrew media indicate that Likud is considering supporting Smotrich's party directly to ensure it crosses the electoral threshold, amid fears that a new party led by Ofer Winter could further fragment the right-wing voter base. Senior Likud officials reportedly believe Ben Gvir is prioritizing his own party's expansion at the expense of Netanyahu's broader campaign goals. Associates of Ben Gvir, however, have countered that Netanyahu's focus is on forming a government that includes the left-wing 'Straight' party, led by Gadi Eisenkot.