Netanyahu Creates Distance from Ben-Gvir Amid Election Strategy Shift

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly implemented a "photo boycott" of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as part of a new Likud election strategy. The move aims to create a public image of distance from the more extreme elements within the coalition, in an effort to win back moderate right-wing voters who have drifted to figures like Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and Gabi Ashkenazi. This reported rift was evident at an event at the Western Wall, where Netanyahu's staff allegedly rebuffed Ben-Gvir's request to join the Prime Minister on a balcony, claiming Netanyahu was busy. Ben-Gvir, who remained below with rabbis, later encountered Netanyahu and commented on the refusal, but reportedly received only a cold evasion.

This is not the first such incident. In August, Netanyahu allegedly refused to be photographed with Ben-Gvir at an event commemorating the Altalena ship, instead requesting a separate video. This reportedly led to a harsh attack from Ben-Gvir, who compared the treatment to the persecution of Menachem Begin. While the Prime Minister's office reportedly seeks to maintain a distance from Ben-Gvir, the minister continues to generate controversy on social media. Most recently, a video of Ben-Gvir dancing at the wedding of Maccabi Haifa's liaison, Eitan Azulai, went viral, sparking widespread reactions.