Itamar Ben-Gvir claims: Senior Likud members asked to join my party
The Minister of National Security and chairman of the 'Otzma Yehudit' party, Itamar Ben-Gvir, stirred up a political storm this morning (Sunday) after revealing new details about his relationship with the ruling party. According to Ben-Gvir, eight members of Knesset from the Likud party recently approached him to explore the possibility of joining his party in the future.
According to the minister, those members of Knesset include four ministers currently serving in the government. Ben-Gvir did not mention the names of the politicians, but emphasized that the approaches were made due to dissatisfaction with the conduct of the current government and various decisions that have been made within it.
The revelation comes during a period of political tension within the coalition. The 'Otzma Yehudit' party frequently sets various demands for the other partners in the government, and this statement may indicate attempts by Ben-Gvir to strengthen his political power ahead of the next elections.
The Likud party has not yet officially responded to Minister Ben-Gvir's claims. However, political commentators estimate that this is a move intended to create pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to send a message of instability within the ranks of the Likud.
The event highlights the complexity within the current government, where coalition partners sometimes compete for the same voters. The Israeli public will wait to see if further names are released or if this is merely a political maneuver intended for media purposes.