Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich Show Unity Despite Separate Election Plans

At the Channel 14 conference on Tuesday, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich publicly embraced on stage, signaling unity despite plans for their parties to run separately in the upcoming elections. The meeting occurred after Ben Gvir's interview, when the host noticed Smotrich waiting for his own interview and invited them both to join on stage.

The two ministers emphasized that there is no rivalry between them, even though their parties had previously run together on a joint list. Ben Gvir stated, "We sit next to each other in the cabinet," highlighting their cooperation. Smotrich added that they "hold the right wing together and have been fighting hard for three years."

Responding to a comment by interviewer Shimon Riklin about rumors of discord, Smotrich said, "Don't believe the media." Ben Gvir also expressed their mutual respect for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying, "We both love the Prime Minister and appreciate him very much." This public display of solidarity comes amid political uncertainty ahead of the next elections.