What It Is About
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised him a seat on a strategic security forum. This promise follows the recent removal of the ‘Rabbi’s Law’ from the agenda, which has stirred some coalition drama.
Why It Matters
The inclusion of Ben-Gvir in the security forum underscores efforts to integrate diverse political perspectives into Israel’s security decisions, reflecting a commitment to a more comprehensive and robust policy-making process. This move could also impact coalition stability, as Ben-Gvir seeks active participation in high-level security discussions.
Details
On Tuesday, during an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, Ben-Gvir stated, “I asked to create a forum that doesn’t only consist of people of the same mindset. The Prime Minister promised to establish this forum, and unfortunately, to this day, it has not happened. Therefore, we need to impose sanctions.” He implied that the previous agreement has not been honored, leading him to consider sanctions.
Sources close to Ben-Gvir reported that Netanyahu had secretly consented to his involvement in the forum, which meets unofficially and intermittently. Despite this, Netanyahu’s team has stalled in formalizing Ben-Gvir’s inclusion, delaying concrete actions.
Coalition Tensions
Ben-Gvir also confronted Interior Minister Aryeh Deri of Shas, attributing government destabilization threats to him due to his conciliatory stances. Ben-Gvir accused Deri of routinely advocating for compromises and opposing defensive measures in significant conflict zones.
Following Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot’s departure from the government, Ben-Gvir demanded to join the ongoing but unofficial small war cabinet, emphasizing that his inclusion is crucial regardless of the forum’s title. He pledged to disrupt coalition workings if his request was denied.
Support for Rabbi’s Law
Although initially opposed to the ‘Rabbi’s Law’, Ben-Gvir indicated he would have supported it if granted entry into the security forum. Netanyahu’s reluctance to publicize the agreement and his subsequent delays led to continued contention.
After this policy was taken off the agenda, Ben-Gvir’s aides indicated that Netanyahu is resistant to incorporating Ben-Gvir into the security decision-making body, maintaining a focus on containment strategies.
This story was first published on jpost.com.