Ben-Gvir Spars With Interviewers Over Past, Future Ambitions
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was interviewed on Channel 13 ahead of the Knesset elections, where he discussed his past, political ambitions, and government performance. He sparred with hosts over photos from his youth and claimed Prime Minister Netanyahu did not want him in the next government. Ben-Gvir also deflected responsibility for the October 7th failures, blaming the judicial system, and expressed his desire to become the next Defense Minister.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was interviewed on Channel 13 ahead of the Knesset elections.
- Ben-Gvir sparred with hosts over photos from his youth and his past political activities.
- He claimed Prime Minister Netanyahu did not want him as a partner in the next government.
- Ben-Gvir deflected responsibility for the October 7th failures, blaming the judicial system.
- He expressed his ambition to become the next Defense Minister.
- Ben-Gvir highlighted his achievements in reducing terror attacks and combating protection rackets.
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir engaged in a spirited interview on Channel 13, just three days before the 26th Knesset elections. During the discussion with hosts Eyal Berkovich and Moriyah Asraf, Ben-Gvir confronted questions about his past, his performance in government, and his political aspirations.
A lighthearted moment arose when the hosts presented photos from Ben-Gvir's youth, specifically from his time in the youth movement "Kahane Chai." When asked if he was embarrassed by the pictures, Ben-Gvir retorted, "Good thing you didn't bring me pictures from Gan Shula," referring to his childhood.
The interview also touched upon Ben-Gvir's political future and his relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ben-Gvir claimed Netanyahu did not want him as a partner in the next government, suggesting the Prime Minister preferred Gadi Eisenkot. He also speculated that many people, possibly including Netanyahu, feared his popularity.
Regarding the October 7th failures, Ben-Gvir deflected responsibility, pointing to the judicial system and the Attorney General. He asserted that the police performed optimally under his tenure and expressed a desire for the Attorney General not to be involved in investigating the events, arguing that the justice system itself needed scrutiny.
Ben-Gvir highlighted his achievements as Minister of National Security, claiming a reduction in terror attacks, the establishment of an anti-protection racket unit, and a doubling of indictments in that area. He declared, "I did what no one did for 40 years before me," while acknowledging that the situation was far from perfect.
Looking ahead, Ben-Gvir expressed his ambition to become the Minister of Defense, stating, "I want to do with the army what I did in the police." He also addressed concerns about potential escalation on the Temple Mount, asserting that his policies there had not led to the predicted unrest and that he supported Arab police officers serving in the force.
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