MK Tali Gottlieb Officially Joins Itamar Ben-Gvir's Party

On September 4th in Tel Aviv, Otzma Yehudit party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir officially announced that Member of Knesset Tali Gottlieb is switching from the Likud party to his.

Gottlieb will be placed second on Otzma Yehudit's electoral list, directly behind Ben-Gvir. The party stated that Yitzhak Wasserlauf has agreed to relinquish the second position to Gottlieb and will move to third place.

At the press conference, Gottlieb expressed her enthusiasm for joining Otzma Yehudit, which she described as "a record holder for legislative activity in the Knesset." She praised Ben-Gvir as a "fearless minister and a fearless advocate." Gottlieb also affirmed her respect for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him "an excellent leader" who "needs Otzma Yehudit to become even stronger."

Gottlieb also referenced her past legal battles, stating, "I brought down Maya R. (the Attorney General), her friend (referring to a former Military Advocate General). The indictment against me is a terrible persecution aimed at silencing legitimate opinion."

Regarding the potential addition of Minister May Golan to Otzma Yehudit, Ben-Gvir commented, "She is a good friend of mine, she is an excellent minister. We will publish the list later, which will bring us 15 mandates."

An agreement for Gottlieb's move was reached between Likud and Otzma Yehudit representatives on September 3rd. Gottlieb will not need to resign from the Knesset and will continue her duties as a lawmaker within the Likud faction until the formation of the 26th Knesset, while running under the Otzma Yehudit slate. Her vacated spot in Likud is expected to go to another woman, possibly Gila Gamliel.

While polls suggest Otzma Yehudit may secure 6-9 seats, the party believes Gottlieb could add up to two additional mandates. If Otzma Yehudit joins the coalition after the elections, Gottlieb is slated to become a minister.

Gottlieb, 50, is a lawyer who previously served in the Israeli State Attorney's Office. She was elected to the Knesset in 2022 on the Likud party list. She is a mother of three.