Netanyahu Expected to Allow MK Tally Gotliv to Leave Likud Amidst Offer from Ben Gvir

Tensions between Knesset Member Tally Gotliv and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are escalating, with a real possibility of Gotliv leaving the Likud party. It has been learned that Gotliv recently spoke with Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir, who is interested in adding her to his party's list for the upcoming elections. Ben Gvir reportedly intends to offer Gotliv a spot in the top five of the Otzma Yehudit list, likely the fourth position. Such a move would require Gotliv to leave Likud, a prospect that seemed unlikely until recently.

However, Gotliv's increasingly harsh rhetoric towards Netanyahu in recent days has made this possibility more plausible, and the Prime Minister is expected to give her his blessing to depart. Gotliv intensified her criticism of Netanyahu on Thursday, stating in a radio interview that the Prime Minister had "stabbed me in the back." She claimed to have "laid down on the line" for Netanyahu and the right-wing government, only to feel pushed aside by him and his associates. Gotliv has told Likud activists that Netanyahu is distancing himself from a strong stance against the judicial system, and that his advisors are attempting to rebrand Likud with a more moderate image, sidelining her, who is closely identified with the fight against the Supreme Court.

Senior Likud officials, however, claim Gotliv requested the 12th spot on the party list, her original position after the primaries before the addition of reserved slots, but her request was denied. Following the reserved slots, her position dropped to 20th. Gotliv had previously hinted that leaving Likud was no longer taboo, stating she would seriously consider a "realistic offer" from another party that respected her electoral power and allowed her to contend for a significant ministerial role, though she noted no such offer was on the table at that time.

Gotliv attempted to clarify her strong criticism on Thursday, asserting her unwavering loyalty to Netanyahu and Likud. She wrote on X, "There is no one more loyal than I to the Prime Minister and the Likud party. No one!! The Prime Minister owes me nothing. My loyalty is unquestionable and depends on nothing." However, she also accused Netanyahu and his advisors of actively working to "exclude me from Likud completely against the will of the voters," calling the Likud campaign "fundamentally flawed" and accusing Netanyahu's advisors of focusing on a "new branding" for the party while ignoring the "rule of officials" hindering the government and the need to curb the Supreme Court's power.

Gotliv added that she has always been a staunch right-wing voice within Likud and that party members elected her based on these positions. She suggested Netanyahu should appreciate her loyalty and dedication. She concluded by stating, "The Prime Minister, unfortunately, does not want me in Likud and his people are working to exclude me," while affirming her continued loyalty to Likud's values and hinting at her future with a biblical quote about God's plan. Ben Gvir is seeking to strengthen his party's list with prominent figures from the right wing of the coalition, and further combinations are being considered.