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A senior coalition member said that Ben Gvir is “damaging the advancement of critical legislation.” Sources close to the minister called these claims “baseless excuses.”
By ANNA BARSKY, 103FM DECEMBER 25, 2024 19:25
LEFT: Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara RIGHT: National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir
(photo credit: Canva, YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and most of his Otzma Yehudit Party (except MK Almog Cohen) voted against a law to freeze tax updates following Tuesday's Knesset vote on the law after Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara was not dismissed.
This resulted in a senior coalition member telling Maariv the following day that “Conditioning coalition votes on dismissing the Attorney-General is unacceptable to coalition leaders. It damages both important legislative efforts and the process that Ben-Gvir demands to advance.
"Until Ben-Gvir disconnects this artificial linkage between dismissing the Attorney-General and Knesset votes, the dismissal process will not be discussed in government meetings or progressed,” the senior official added.
In contrast, sources close to Ben-Gvir argued, “Before he conditioned [his support], they didn’t advance it because he wasn't threatening to. Now they didn’t advance it because of his threat. The bottom line is that they’re just making excuses. Everyone has their reasons. Some want the attorney-general to harm Ben-Gvir, thinking it’ll win them votes. Others use the issue as leverage to advance other laws they care about. Either way, any process is stuck due to baseless excuses.”
As part of their pressure tactics on the coalition, Otzma Yehudit is blocking approval of a section in the “2025 Economic Efficiency Law” related to increasing National Insurance payments. This move could generate nearly 5 billion shekels for the state. With an eight-to-seven coalition-opposition balance on the Labor and Welfare Committee, MK Limor Son Har-Melech’s refusal to vote with the coalition prevents the law from advancing to its final reading in the Knesset.
Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry is attempting to pressure Ben-Gvir by delaying an 800-million-shekel budget allocated to police for infrastructure, procurement, and equipment. However, a coalition source denies such a pressure tactic, stating, “No one understands what Ben-Gvir wants. He voted against the budget, violating his agreements with coalition leaders, effectively opposing his own funding sources. If he wants to destabilize the government, good luck to him.”
Sources in Otzma Yehudit told Maariv on Tuesday that they are monitoring the implementation of the coalition leaders’ decision on a meeting regarding the Baharav-Miara. Justice Minister Yariv Levin is expected to advance the dismissal process. Coalition party leaders reportedly agreed in principle to move forward with dismissing her but decided not to make a public announcement to avoid politicizing it. Such politicization could harm the process and provide the High Court of Justice with grounds to annul it in the future."
Ben-Gvir: 'No interest in the government collapsing'
Ben-Gvir spoke to 103FM on Wednesday morning about Baharav-Miara's dismissal.
“We’ve been talking about this for a year, just talking and talking. I said I wouldn’t vote, and suddenly, coalition leaders remembered they could start the dismissal process," he said. "For a year, they’ve agreed, but they just haven’t implemented the decision. Despite their agreement, they’ve never convened even once to finalize it.”
Ben-Gvir emphasized his support for the government: “I don’t want to bring down a right-wing government. I have no interest in toppling this government. This government is good and important. I want it to continue.
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“Ultimately, when I impose sanctions, it usually works, so it’s all okay. I haven’t resigned, but when I’ve banged on the table in the past, I’ve gotten results. These aren’t personal issues. I’m not fighting over coalition funds or personal matters. Police salaries, readiness units, the Attorney-General’s dismissal—these are not personal interests of mine.”
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