Ben Gvir says he wants vacated Housing Ministry, calls AG a ‘mafioso’

By Ariela Karmel

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21 July 2025, 3:46 pm

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Ariela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir leads an Otzma Yehudit faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 21, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir confirms his interest in the Construction and Housing Ministry and sharply attacks the attorney general, in a fiery press conference ahead of his far-right party Otzma Yehudit’s meeting.

In response to a question from The Times of Israel about whether he is seeking portfolios vacated by ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism following their exit from the government last week, Ben Gvir says he is particularly interested in the Construction and Housing Ministry.

“This would allow me to help reservists, soldiers,” he says. “Every soldier who has served a certain amount of time shouldn’t merely get discounts for land purchase, but should be given free land in the Negev, Galilee, etc.”

He quickly adds that he would want this portfolio in addition to, and not instead of, his current role as national security minister.

Tourism Minister Haim Katz (Likud) has already been appointed acting housing minister following the resignation of Yitzhak Goldknopf of the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party.

Ben Gvir also delivers a personal and pointed attack on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, following Sunday’s unanimous vote by a five-member ministerial committee, including Ben Gvir, to dismiss her from her post.

Calling her a “mafioso” and accusing her of political persecution, the minister says, “I’m not afraid of you or your mafiosos” and that “she needs to go home.”

The decision, which the committee had approved in principle on Thursday, now passes to the cabinet, which can schedule a vote on the matter at its next meeting on Sunday, July 27.

Ben Gvir also lashes out at the proposed hostage deal with Hamas, calling it a capitulation.

“This deal will not be a ‘tremendous achievement,’ but a tremendous retreat” from “areas and strategic corridors conquered with the blood of our soldiers,” he says.

“We all want to see the hostages come home safe and sound,” he continues. “But there are two questions that must be asked — even if they are unpopular: At what price? And by what means?”

“The price of returning a number of hostages in a partial deal is another October 7 in a few years,” he says.