Yair Netanyahu Launches Sharp Attack on National Security Minister Ben Gvir Over Political Rift

Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has publicly criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for refusing to unite with fellow right-wing politicians Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin. The dispute centers on Ben Gvir's rejection of a political alliance, despite direct mediation efforts by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who reportedly demanded Ben Gvir join forces with Smotrich to strengthen the right-wing bloc ahead of upcoming elections.

In a series of social media posts, Yair Netanyahu accused Ben Gvir of disregarding the risk that the right-wing bloc might fail to secure a parliamentary majority of 61 seats. He also criticized Ben Gvir’s priorities, accusing him of focusing on social media content rather than political strategy. The tension follows reports of secret negotiations between Smotrich and Feiglin to unify their parties, which Ben Gvir opposed, claiming the unity calls were staged to weaken Feiglin's demands.

Yair Netanyahu also sharply condemned the Israeli police under Ben Gvir’s tenure, accusing them of acting as an enforcement arm for left-wing activist Itamar Kaplan and pursuing an apartheid-like policy against right-wing activists. He alleged that the police allowed left-wing protests to block roads and ignored right-wing concerns, including burying investigations into alleged police misconduct.

The political friction comes amid warnings from Prime Minister Netanyahu urging right-wing factions to unite to avoid losing power. However, Otzma Yehudit, Ben Gvir’s party, has refused to engage in any talks about unification. Meanwhile, Moshe Feiglin has threatened to run independently if no right-wing mergers occur, risking vote splitting.

Recent polls show the right-wing bloc at 59 seats, two short of a majority, intensifying pressure for unity. The public clash between Yair Netanyahu and Ben Gvir highlights deep divisions within the right-wing camp as the election approaches, with little time left to reconcile differences.