Likud MK Almog Cohen Strongly Rebukes Itamar Ben-Gvir Over Political Unity Dispute

Almog Cohen, a Likud Member of Knesset who recently secured the eighth spot in the party primaries, sharply criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Saturday night. Cohen responded to Ben-Gvir's attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had called for a political alliance with the Religious Zionist Party. Ben-Gvir dismissed Netanyahu's call as a "cynical game" aimed at lowering Moshe Feiglin's bargaining power with Bezalel Smotrich. Cohen countered by accusing Ben-Gvir of nearly toppling the government before the budget vote and warned him against jeopardizing right-wing unity, stating, "If you don't consider the bloc's interests, we might end up with Mansour Abbas in the cabinet." He urged Ben-Gvir to take responsibility for the coalition's future.

This exchange highlights escalating tensions within the right-wing bloc ahead of upcoming elections. Netanyahu has scheduled separate meetings with Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to promote a unified right-wing front, emphasizing that "no vote should be wasted" to save the bloc. However, Otzma Yehudit, led by Ben-Gvir, has categorically rejected any alliance with the Religious Zionist Party, declaring their decision final and refusing any negotiations.

Within Likud, blame is increasingly directed at Ben-Gvir for risking a right-wing electoral loss by refusing to unite with Smotrich. Cohen, who joined the primaries just a week before voting and quickly rose as a prominent Likud voice, thanked Netanyahu for his support and outlined his political agenda moving forward. Reports also revealed that Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir met last week, agreeing that Smotrich posed a significant electoral liability, though Netanyahu opposed Ben-Gvir's proposal to incorporate Smotrich into Likud, fearing damage to his party.