National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir visited Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda Market shortly before midnight on Thursday, where he danced with revelers and supporters he encountered. Ben Gvir arrived under security escort and was welcomed by people at the market.
During the visit, Ben Gvir joined the dancing to the song “He Who Believes," a phrase that features prominently in Otzma Yehudit’s campaign ahead of the election.
The visit came hours after a public dispute between Ben Gvir and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the question of unity within the right-wing camp.
Earlier, Netanyahu called on Ben Gvir and Religious Zionist Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich to unite ahead of the election and said he would summon the two in an effort to bring about an alliance.
Ben Gvir rejected the proposal and instead suggested that Smotrich join forces with Amcha Yisrael chairman Brig. Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter. He argued that an alliance between himself and Smotrich would drive voters away from Otzma Yehudit and could weaken the right-wing bloc.
Netanyahu responded by telling Ben Gvir, “Don’t bring down the right." The Prime Minister argued that, according to polling, a technical alliance between Otzma Yehudit and the Religious Zionist Party would strengthen the right-wing bloc and prevent votes from being lost. He also warned that Smotrich is close to the electoral threshold.
Ben Gvir responded that he and Netanyahu had spoken several times in recent weeks and that the Prime Minister was familiar with the data and in-depth research. “According to all the polls, an alliance between Smotrich and me would drive away 3-4 seats from Otzma Yehudit, and those voters would not turn out, and the right-wing government would fall," he wrote.
He also claimed that Netanyahu himself had told him that the preferred scenario for maximizing the right’s votes was for Winter and Smotrich to run together. Ben Gvir concluded his response by declaring, “I will do everything to prevent you from forming a government with Eisenkot! Only a right-wing government!"