Otzma Yehudit Chairman and Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has repeated his demand to be appointed Defense Minister in the next government and declared that he would escalate the punishment of the terrorists who committed the October 7th Massacre, whose bodies are being held in Israel.
"After I get the defense portfolio, I will make sure to burn Sinwar's body and the bodies of the October 7th terrorists. As Defense Minister, I will lead a significant change in approach," Ben-Gvir said in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet.
In recent days, Ben-Gvir has repeatedly mentioned his plans for the Defense Ministry. At an event organized by the Nahala movement near the Gaza border, he said: "I hope that even before the elections, we will reach Nisanit. But if, G-d forbid, that does not happen before the elections, I hope, with G-d's help, to become the Defense Minister of the State of Israel, to bring us back to Nisanit, to the entire northern perimeter, and to all of Gaza."
Earlier, he presented a security plan that includes a policy of encouraging voluntary emigration from the Gaza Strip and Judea and Samaria. Ben-Gvir also seeks to disarm the Palestinian Authority and arrest its senior officials who support terrorism.
Regarding IDF operations, Ben-Gvir wants to revise the rules of engagement and expand the backing provided to soldiers. The plan also includes increasing soldiers' salaries and providing free land to combat soldiers.
Two additional provisions concern internal changes within the IDF. Ben-Gvir seeks to revise the military's ethical code, which his party described as "Asa Kasher's progressive ethical code," and to open elite units, including Unit 8200, to the entire population.