A rift has widened within Israel’s hard-right political camp after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejected calls to form an electoral alliance with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ahead of the country’s October 27 election. The dispute has angered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has urged the two parties to unite to prevent right-wing votes from being lost.
Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party had signalled support for greater unity among nationalist parties, but Ben-Gvir, leader of Otzma Yehudit, refused to join forces. He accused Netanyahu of seeking to weaken his party in order to facilitate a broader coalition with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot after the election.
The disagreement could have significant consequences for Netanyahu’s re-election prospects. Israeli electoral rules require parties to cross a minimum threshold to win Knesset representation, raising concerns that separate campaigns could leave some right-wing votes without parliamentary representation. One recent poll suggested Religious Zionism could fall below the threshold if the parties contest the election separately.
With Netanyahu already facing a difficult re-election battle, the split could further complicate efforts to maintain a right-wing governing coalition.
