Ben-Gvir says Netanyahu 'doesn’t exactly answer' his phone calls as relationship sours

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir alleged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not been responding to his phone calls in recent weeks, as tensions appear to have escalated between the two allies prior to Israel's upcoming election. Speaking on Miki Levin's podcast for Maariv ahead of Yom Kippur, Ben-Gvir detailed the once-strong rapport he shared with Netanyahu, the shift in their interactions, and the factors behind the change.

In the past month, Ben-Gvir released multiple videos on social media, directly addressing Netanyahu, expressing his concerns that following the election, the prime minister might form a broad coalition with Gadi Eisenkot, potentially excluding his own party, Otzma Yehudit, from the government. Ben-Gvir referenced past instances of Netanyahu's actions, citing his departure from the National Union alongside Ehud Barak in 2009 and his similar move with Barak in 2013.

Levin inquired about Ben-Gvir's motives, to which he responded that he was not orchestrating a strategic maneuver to disrupt the relationship between them. He emphasized that he is solely concerned with the policies, rather than personal connections. Ben-Gvir then revealed the text of a video he posted, where he directly chastised Netanyahu for not taking pictures with him, boycotting their relationship, and failing to show him respect.

Despite the deteriorating relationship, Ben-Gvir expressed admiration for Netanyahu, learning from his experience and acknowledging the prime minister's seniority and leadership qualities. He acknowledged that the recent deterioration of their relationship was sudden and unexplained, though he suggested that Netanyahu may have his own agenda.

The two had enjoyed a strong relationship over the past two years, but Ben-Gvir claimed that this relationship abruptly ended, possibly due to Netanyahu having other plans. For four years, Ben-Gvir had been instrumental in building and completing Netanyahu's government. Nevertheless, despite the personal tensions, Ben-Gvir remains committed to staying in Netanyahu's government, prioritizing policy matters over personal relationships.