Itamar Ben Gvir Demands Immediate Dismissal of Government Legal Advisor to Join Next Israeli Cabinet

Itamar Ben Gvir, chairman of Otzma Yehudit and Israel's National Security Minister, sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday demanding the immediate removal of Gali Baharav-Miara from her position as the government legal advisor. Ben Gvir stated that Otzma Yehudit's entry into the next government is conditional on her dismissal and replacement by a legal advisor who supports the government's policies rather than obstructing them.

In his letter, Ben Gvir accused Baharav-Miara, appointed during the Bennett-Lapid-Abbas government, of acting with bias against the current government, engaging in unprofessional conduct, and undermining government policy. He cited her alleged involvement in fabricating cases against government officials, blocking senior appointments, and even attempts to remove him from his ministerial post through a petition to the Supreme Court.

Ben Gvir recalled a previous conversation with Netanyahu in which the prime minister dismissed his concerns, saying "I am a young minister" and "this is not how things work." The letter concludes with a firm ultimatum that without Baharav-Miara's immediate dismissal and the appointment of a cooperative legal advisor, Otzma Yehudit will not join the next government. Additionally, Ben Gvir demands the establishment of a criminal investigative committee to examine all actions taken by Baharav-Miara and her associates.

This demand highlights ongoing tensions within the Israeli government regarding the role and influence of the legal advisor and signals potential challenges in forming the next coalition.