Tali Gottlieb Joins Otzma Yehudit, Cites Desire to Strengthen Right-Wing Bloc

Member of Knesset Tali Gottlieb announced on Tuesday her departure from the Likud party to join Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir. The move, facilitated by an agreement with Likud, will see Gottlieb placed second on Otzma Yehudit's Knesset list.

In a joint statement with Ben-Gvir, Gottlieb explained her decision stemmed from a desire to bolster the national camp and preserve the right-wing character of the bloc. "The people thirst for Jewish Power," Gottlieb stated, adding that Otzma Yehudit had achieved the "impossible" while she observed from the sidelines. She praised Ben-Gvir's leadership and the party's internal cohesion, noting a sense of "brotherhood and unity" absent in other parties.

Gottlieb further elaborated that her primary motivation was to ensure the right-wing bloc and the future government remained firmly on the right, without compromising with centrist or other political elements. This transition follows a period of tension between Gottlieb and Likud, particularly after she claimed to be a victim of "targeted elimination" and marginalized within the party following the recent primaries, where she ranked 12th.

Likud agreed to permit Gottlieb's move to Otzma Yehudit without declaring her a defector, and she will remain bound by Likud's factional discipline until the next Knesset term. For Otzma Yehudit, Gottlieb's addition is seen as a significant gain, bringing a recognized MK with a prominent public profile. For Gottlieb, the second position on the list offers a realistic path for her continued political career.