Smotrich dismisses report quoting party official who vowed Ben Gvir wouldn't be in Knesset

Union of Right Wing Parties No. 2 Bezalel Smotrich dismisses a report quoting a senior official in his party assuring critics of its merger with Otzma Yehudit that the latter’s candidate Itamar Ben Gvir will not be in the Knesset.

Ben Gvir is number seven on the list of the right-wing alliance, which barely has five seats in the upcoming Knesset with 97% of the vote counted. However, Smotrich has said that he is committed to the so-called “Norwegian law,” which allows an MK from any party who is appointed to a cabinet post to give up their Knesset seat, allowing a different person on their party’s list to enter parliament.

Smotrich tweets that he still stands by that pledge, which he made to Ben Gvir when the parties merged.