During the 2021 election — when Jewish Power was barely scraping the threshold — Netanyahu said Ben Gvir was “not fit” to be a minister. In this election — with Jewish Power surging in the polls — Netanyahu has said he would “certainly” offer Ben Gvir a ministerial post.
“There is no far-right without Netanyahu,” Merav Michaeli, the leader of the center-left Labor Party told NBC News.
“It is going to be so harmful for Israel if we have such extreme right-wing people in the Cabinet, in the government,” he said. “I’m really, really worried about what that would do to Israel’s position in the world and to its relationship with its allies.”
In Washington, even traditional supporters of Israel have sounded the alarm over the prospect of far-right politicians sitting around the Cabinet table — and potentially opposite Biden administration officials during diplomatic talks.
“I urge Israeli political leaders from all sides of the political spectrum to ostracize extremists like Itamar Ben-Gvir,” Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., said in a tweet. “These extremists undermine Israel’s interests and the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
A spokesman for Netanyahu did not return a request for comment. But in public remarks, Netanyahu has been scornful of U.S. pressure urging him not to join forces with Jewish Power.
“We are a democracy and we will decide who will be in the next government,” he said in a recent radio interview.
Ned Price, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said: “This will be up to the people of Israel to decide the configuration of their next government. No matter the shape of the Israeli coalition and government our relationship will be strong and enduring.”
Associated Press contributed.
