Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir: What is fuelling the pre-election power struggle ahead of Israeli polls?

With Israeli elections around the corner, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's attempt to keep National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir away from his government if he wins has opened up a new internal tussle within the right-wing coalition. Ben Gvir has now said that he felt personally hurt by Netanyahu's alleged efforts to exclude him from the next government. The Otzma Yehudit chairman expressed disappointment over the apparent shift in their relationship.

"But I was your partner, I am your partner, I love you. Why do you have to go to all kinds of countries and tell them, 'Without Ben-Gvir'? It's personally hurtful; it's unpleasant," Ben-Gvir admitted. "But I came here for the State of Israel. I entered politics to make changes, and you also encounter disappointments." He also said that 'some parties would be happy if I weren't in the next government.' Ben-Gvir acknowledged that he remains unpopular among certain international figures. "It's pretty clear that my name is one that quite a few people around the world aren't particularly fond of," he acknowledged. "Everyone knows that I was the only one in the cabinet who voted against the aid trucks that all the Europeans wanted. Some parties would be happy if I weren't in the next government. I think it should be exactly the opposite."

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Highlighting his importance, he said that if he secures substantial number of Knesset seats, it would be difficult to exclude him from the next governing coalition. “If I get a lot of seats, they probably won't be able to keep me out. If I'm there, the State of Israel is strong, the Right is strong, and I think Bibi is strong too,” he said.

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Is Netanyahu keeping a distance from Ben Gvir

On October 15, 2026, Netanyahu announced that key ministries—specifically the Defense and National Security portfolios—must remain directly in the hands of his own Likud party. This effectively meant Ben-Gvir would lose his current position overseeing the police and be blocked from his ambition to become Defense Minister. It also is a snub for his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party. Additionally, Ben-Gvir publicly accused Netanyahu's office of "officially promising" several European Union governments that neither he nor his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party would be included in the next governing cabinet.

However, as the controversy broke out, on October 19, during a campaign rally in Lod, Netanyahu stated, "Ben-Gvir will be with us. Ben-Gvir will be a high-ranking minister with us. Don't buy the spin." The Likud party also emphasized that the incoming government will prioritize the core partners of the current right-wing coalition.