Netanyahu and Smotrich Unite for Right-Wing Campaign, Excluding Ben Gvir
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bezalel Smotrich are organizing a joint right-wing campaign conference, excluding Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister Bezalel Smotrich are set to hold a special conference on Thursday for dozens of senior rabbis and heads of religious institutions. Entitled "Saving the Right," the gathering aims to build a vast network of thousands of activists tasked with mobilizing right-wing voters to the polls ahead of and on election day.
The initiative is being led by campaign managers Zvika Brot from Likud and Omer Rahamim from Religious Zionism, with Israel Gantz coordinating the headquarters on behalf of both parties. This close cooperation highlights the ongoing coordination between Netanyahu and Smotrich throughout the ongoing conflict.
While the alliance between Likud and Religious Zionism strengthens, cooperation excludes Itamar Ben Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party. Organizers noted that the conference focuses on grassroots mobilization tailored to religious Zionist yeshiva students rather than Otzma Yehudit's target audience. However, Netanyahu did not invite Ben Gvir or Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, a prominent national-religious leader and supporter of the party whose son, Amichai Eliyahu, serves as heritage minister. This exclusion has raised concerns among party members that Netanyahu intends to sideline them.
Tensions have also grown following the surplus-vote agreement signed this week between Likud and Smotrich, alongside Netanyahu's continued avoidance of joint public appearances and photo opportunities with Ben Gvir.
