National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir intensified criticism of coalition partner Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, declaring that Otzma Yehudit would vote "based on its own discretion," rather than adhering to coalition discipline in a Wednesday interview with Maariv.
Ben-Gvir’s comments follow Tuesday’s stormy Knesset session, where Otzma Yehudit voted against the coalition and the "trapped profits" bill, which narrowly passed by a single vote.
Speaking to Maariv, Ben-Gvir remained steadfast in his criticism of Smotrich and his stance in opposing the bill.
“Smotrich is not honoring our agreements,” Ben-Gvir said. “He refuses to speak with me and blocks Finance Ministry officials from engaging with my team.”
Asked if he made a mistake by not allowing vote offsets, Ben-Gvir defended his decision.
“I would have made a much bigger mistake by voting against my principles,” he said. “An hour before the vote, I suggested finding a solution, but this is part of a larger struggle. For two years, I worked to strengthen the police, but now they want to undo that progress. I won’t back down.”
Smotrich responded publicly, accusing Ben-Gvir of missteps.
“Smotrich knows he became Finance Minister thanks to voters seeking stronger governance and sovereignty,” Ben-Gvir said in rebuttal. “After we bolstered the police, cutting NIS 1.8 billion now is unacceptable. It means closing police stations and disbanding readiness units. We cannot revoke signed and sealed agreements with officers, such as promised salary bonuses.”
Ben-Gvir also accused the Likud Party of neglecting coalition commitments.
'Smotrich won’t let his team meet mine'
“I’ve been asking for two weeks to meet with Smotrich,” Ben-Gvir continued. “But he won’t let his team meet mine. It’s a mockery of the public. I fight for my principles, unlike others who transfer funds to the Palestinian Authority or flip-flop on judicial reform.”
Addressing accusations of destabilizing the coalition, Ben-Gvir said, “The real destabilizers are those refusing to dismiss the Attorney-General. While I advanced this effort, others now demand sanctions against me. I hope Likud honors its voters' expectations.”
When asked about internal faction issues, including MK Almog Cohen’s dissenting vote on Tuesday, Ben-Gvir said, “Cohen promised support but didn’t follow through. This matter will be brought to the faction. We must uphold discipline.”
Reiterating his accomplishments, Ben-Gvir said, “We recruited 3,000 officers, established readiness units, issued 190,000 firearm licenses, and transformed the prison system. I don’t want to bring down the government—I want to save it. But Otzma Yehudit will vote as it sees fit.”