Likud Lawmaker Alleges Past Coalition Talks Included Joint List, Criticizes Ben-Gvir's Statements

A leaked recording from 2021, featuring then-not-yet-MK Almog Cohen, has resurfaced, claiming the Likud party was in coalition negotiations not only with the Arab party Ra'am but also with the Joint List. In the recording, Cohen alleges that Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich refused senior positions in exchange for the Joint List's support, criticizing "Likudniks" for not asking difficult questions and being easily misled. Cohen, who has since joined the Likud and is positioned to enter the Knesset, downplayed the recording when asked, stating it was from five years ago and that he would hold anyone negotiating with Ra'am accountable. He also asserted that if others had negotiated with the Joint List, he would have scrutinized them as well.

Cohen, who achieved a surprisingly high placement in the Likud primaries, attributes his success to feeling at home within the party, stemming from his origins in the Likud-stronghold city of Ofakim. He views himself as a public servant who voices and fights for the party members' causes. He acknowledged his primary success was phenomenal, a result of a mix of free voters and unsolicited deals, though he claims he had nothing to trade as he couldn't organize a faction.

Looking ahead, Cohen expressed interest in the National Security Ministry, currently held by his former party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing his 11 years of service in elite units and experience with various types of crime. He believes he can lead important reforms in this area. However, he cautioned against premature demands for ministerial posts before an election victory, stating such actions by figures like Ben-Gvir create complacency within the right-wing bloc. He also emphasized the Likud's need to retain core ministries to lead the country.

Cohen clarified that he was expelled from the Otzma Yehudit party after voting for the state budget in December 2024, not that he left. He believes ideological differences between right-wing parties have narrowed since the October 7th attacks. Regarding the October 7th failures, Cohen maintains that Prime Minister Netanyahu bears no responsibility, as he was deliberately kept in the dark by the professional security echelon. He contrasted his own actions on October 7th, fighting in Ofakim, with those of figures like Yair Golan, whose past statements he finds problematic and a contributing factor to the Hamas attack.