Ben Gvir Slams Report on Netanyahu Preferring Government Without Him

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reacted strongly on Tuesday to a report claiming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would prefer to form the next government without him. Ben Gvir called the report, attributed to a senior advisor and published by journalist Ariel Kahana, "very worrying and infuriating." He stated that excluding him and including "leftist Eizenkot" would be "spitting in the face of the right-wing voter."

The original report suggested Netanyahu and his associates are dissatisfied with Ben Gvir's conduct over the past four years. According to the senior advisor, if Netanyahu has the option after the elections to form a government not reliant on the Otzma Yehudit party leader, he would prefer to avoid depending on him again. The advisor also noted that Netanyahu would celebrate his 77th birthday after the elections and, if he forms a stable government, might view it as his last term, potentially seeking to improve his standing with segments of the public frustrated with him.

This advisor believes that Netanyahu's experience with Ben Gvir, his desire to regain legitimacy among broader audiences, and the possibility of this being his final term could strengthen his preference for a government that does not include Otzma Yehudit.