Ben Gvir reaches out to Smotrich amid renewed push to unite the far-right
‘Bezalel, I love you’: Cajoled by Netanyahu, Otzma Yehudit leader softens tone in bid for merger deal a day after Religious Zionism primaries
Itamar Ben Gvir, chairman of the extremist Otzma Yehudit party, showered his former ally, far-right Religious Zionism party head Bezalel Smotrich, with compliments Wednesday morning in an attempt to secure a unity deal that would see the two run jointly in November’s elections.
Ben Gvir’s comments came after opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu called for smaller right-wing parties to run on a shared ticket in the election to ensure votes aren’t wasted on parties that don’t clear the electoral threshold.
Otzma Yehudit ran together with Religious Zionist in last year’s election in a deal brokered by Netanyahu, who was subjected to sharp criticism over the move for granting legitimacy to Ben Gvir, a disciple of the racist rabbi Meir Kahane, and other extremist candidates.
So far, this time around, the pair have been unable to agree on a unity deal, with Ben Gvir seeking an equal share of seats within the alliance, something Smotrich has refused to grant. Polls have indicated that a unified party would receive between 10 and 13 seats in the coming Knesset, a significant upgrade from its current six seats.
“Enough with the spin and the public calls for meetings,” Ben Gvir told Radio 93FM Wednesday. “Bezalel has my phone number and within 10 minutes we could sign an agreement. The problem is I feel he doesn’t really want to.”
Switching to a more conciliatory tone, Ben Gvir continued, “Bezalel, I love you, I am your friend, I appreciate you, but it’s time to decide. I’m not asking for too much, only equality. Let’s close a deal, let’s do it this morning and celebrate this evening. The door and window are still open, and if you don’t want it, let’s stop fooling the public. My hand is outstretched to you.”
Increasing the pressure on Smotrich, Ben Gvir also took to Twitter Wednesday to share an image of a signed draft deal for a unified run granting Otzma Yehudit an equal share of the slots on the list, with Smotrich in the top slot and Ben Gvir at No. 2.
“Bezalel, I call on you to sign it too, and this evening we can celebrate unity together,” he tweeted.
On Tuesday, Kan reported that Smotrich would soon announce an alliance with former Yamina MK Amichai Chikli, granting him three seats in Religious Zionism’s top 10 list. The renegade lawmaker was a key player in bringing down Naftali Bennett’s government in June.
After announcing the results of his party’s primary vote Tuesday night, Smotrich addressed the question of a merger, saying, “I call on Itamar [Ben Gvir] – my hand is extended in unity,” adding that he agreed with Netanyahu’s calls for a deal.
