Netanyahu Delays Gottlieb's Move to Otzma Yehudit, Seeks Leverage

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering facilitating the move of Knesset Member Tali Gottlieb from the Likud party to Otzma Yehudit, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. However, Netanyahu has not yet approached Ben-Gvir, as he is reportedly weighing demands for concessions in return for his cooperation.

Ben-Gvir, on his part, wants Netanyahu to guarantee that Gottlieb will not be declared a defector, ensuring she can transfer to Otzma Yehudit with her allocated funding unit. Netanyahu is contemplating delaying this "favor" to Ben-Gvir, potentially conditioning it on Ben-Gvir's assistance in unifying right-wing factions by securing external candidates within his party.

Ben-Gvir estimates Gottlieb could bring one or two Knesset seats to Otzma Yehudit. Conversely, Netanyahu believes her departure from Likud might benefit the party by appealing to more "moderate votes." A statement from Ben-Gvir's office indicated he would welcome Gottlieb to his party, provided she reaches an agreement with Netanyahu.

Gottlieb herself stated in a recent interview that she would seriously consider a "concrete, good offer" from Otzma Yehudit, emphasizing her obligation to her voters to utilize her abilities. She noted that Netanyahu is not obligated to appoint her to a ministerial position or chair a significant committee. Gottlieb also claimed she is a victim of "targeted elimination" within Likud, with Netanyahu's reserved spots pushing her down to 20th on the party list. She has requested to be reinstated to the 12th position, her original ranking before the reserved spots were added.