Netanyahu Urges Smotrich and Ben Gvir to Unite Ahead of Elections to Prevent Right-Wing Split

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare public appeal on Thursday to coalition partners Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, urging them to overcome personal differences and unite their parties ahead of the upcoming elections. Netanyahu warned that a split on the right could lead to losing power and a left-wing victory, recalling the 1992 elections when multiple right-wing parties failed to pass the electoral threshold despite majority support, resulting in a leftist government.

Netanyahu emphasized the historical lesson that "every time we ran united, we won; every time we ran divided, we lost." He linked the 1992 outcome to subsequent political and security crises, including the Oslo Accords and the rise of Hamas. The prime minister acknowledged the existing tensions between Smotrich's Religious Zionism party and Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit but stressed the need to prioritize the survival of the national camp over personal grievances.

In response to the rising threat from right-wing candidate Ofer Winter, whose growing support could erode Smotrich's base, Netanyahu announced plans to convene a meeting with both ministers in the coming days to negotiate a joint electoral agreement. He called this unity "what the public expects of them, and rightly so." The video message was released by the Likud spokesperson's office and lasted 45 seconds.

Summary: Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly urged coalition partners Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir to unite their parties to avoid splitting the right-wing vote in upcoming elections, warning that division could lead to a left-wing victory as happened in 1992. He plans to meet them soon to secure a joint electoral agreement.