Netanyahu: I will form a government coalition with Ben Gvir, despite his claim that I pledged to exclude him

Tel Aviv - Ofoq News - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained on Sunday that he intends to re-form a government coalition that includes Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich after the elections. Although he confirmed that he would work to form a “broad national government,” Netanyahu announced during a press briefing that he would work to consolidate the coalition by relying on his alliance with Ben Gvir.

“Certainly, there is no doubt that we will form the same coalition,” Netanyahu said. “We worked well together, and also with Smotrich.”

But he added that he intends to keep the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of National Security in the hands of the Likud Party, if the election results allow this.

On the other hand, the leader of the “Otzma Yehudit” party, Itamar Ben Gvir, said that he had recently received information that he described as documented and confirmed, stating that the Prime Minister’s Office had officially pledged to a number of European Union countries not to include him in the next government, if Netanyahu formed a new government.

Ben Gvir said in a special statement to the media: “I say the following things with deep sadness, after a long period during which I heard reports of this kind. “A clear message has been conveyed to those countries, whether to foreign ministers or to higher levels, that the Prime Minister does not intend to include me in the next government.”

These allegations constitute a contradiction with Netanyahu's public statements regarding his desire to continue the alliance with Ben Gvir.

During the press briefing, Netanyahu rejected the possibility that a renewed partnership with Ben Gvir would increase international criticism of Israel.

He criticized what he described as a boycott of democratically elected representatives in Israel, saying that these parties do not take action against representatives of the Palestinian Authority, whom he accused of inciting the destruction of Israel, or against leaders of countries calling for its end.

He also described the protests and international criticism of the violent attacks committed by right-wing activists in the West Bank as “massive exaggeration” and a “propaganda attack.”