National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "hasn't exactly answered my phone calls in recent weeks," as tensions appear to have grown between the two allies ahead of Israel’s election.
Speaking on Miki Levin’s podcast for Maariv ahead of Yom Kippur, Ben-Gvir discussed the close relationship he previously had with Netanyahu, the change in their interactions, and what he believes caused the shift.
Over the past month, Ben-Gvir has published a series of videos on social media in which he appealed directly to Netanyahu and said he was concerned that after the election the prime minister could form a broad coalition with Gadi Eisenkot, leaving Otzma Yehudit outside the government.
“He did it in 2009," said Ben-Gvir. "He went, left the National Union aside, and went with [former prime minister] Ehud Barak. In 2013, he did the same thing.”
Levin told Ben-Gvir she believes he is "carrying out a coordinated maneuver between you, because it serves both sides," to which he replied, “No. Everything I do, you say it’s a maneuver.”
"You are constantly suspicious of the context, constantly suspicious of what is the opposite, but okay,” he said.
Ben-Gvir then discussed the video he posted addressing Netanyahu on the souring relationship, where he said, “Netanyahu, you don’t take pictures with me, you are boycotting me, it hurts me, I love you, I don’t deserve this, where is your respect?”
Ben-Gvir says he appreciates Netanyahu, learns 'a lot' from him
“Everything is fine," he emphasized. "I appreciate Netanyahu. I learn a lot from him. He is 27 years older than me. He really is someone I appreciate as a leader. I am allowed to say these things to him. And in practice, I was also hurt. It’s not that I’m just saying these things.”
“His associates in the office whisper to him to stay away,” he added.
He noted that his relationship with Netanyahu was "very good" over the past two years but stopped "suddenly," possibly because the prime minister "has other plans.”
"For four years, I completed his government; I built his government,” Ben-Gvir stated. “I have a problem with that approach. For four years, we entered the government and established a government thanks to the mandates. And in the past two and a half years especially, the relationship between us was very, very good.”
Levin noted that she remembered Netanyahu had called Ben-Gvir in the past to wish him a happy birthday.
“It’s much more than that," Ben-Gvir said. "I sat with him on Fridays for four or five hours, until an hour before Shabbat. I told him: ‘Prime Minister, I have to leave, I have to get home. Ayala is in contact with Sara.’”
Ben-Gvir wishes to remain in Netanyahu-led government despite tensions
Ben-Gvir said he still wants to remain part of a government led by Netanyahu despite the personal tensions, arguing that policy issues matter more than his relationship with the prime minister.
“First of all, the prime minister is the prime minister of Israel, and I have a great deal of respect for him," he declared. "And despite the fact that he does not want to take pictures with me, I think there are things here that are in the interest of all of Israel. The appointment of the legal adviser and the appointment of Supreme Court justices are more important to me than my personal honor. Yes, he hurts me. Yes, it annoys me. Yes, it angers me.
"It is very difficult for me that we were - I won’t say friends, but we were in a very, very good relationship - and suddenly it stopped,” he concluded.