Israel's fractious right-wing coalition faces a fresh crisis as National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir squares off against both a rebellious party member and former media allies, exposing deep fissures in the country's conservative establishment.
The drama intensified when Channel 14's "Patriots," long considered a bastion of right-wing media support, turned surprisingly hostile during an interview with Ben Gvir about his opposition to a crucial budget vote. The show's aggressive stance toward the minister marked an unprecedented break with its traditionally supportive coverage of right-wing politicians.
The interview provoked a furious response from Yoav Eliasi, a powerful right-wing social media influencer known as "The Shadow," who launched a blistering attack on the program. "You're anything but patriots – a bunch of zeros," Eliasi wrote. "Even if you criticize Ben Gvir's actions, that's no excuse to humiliate him and treat him like an enemy."
"What you did was worse than backstabbing – it was a knife to the heart with a smile," Eliasi continued, noting acidly that "Even Channels 12 and 13 show more respect" – a reference to Israel's mainstream media outlets that right-wing figures typically criticize. He praised Ben Gvir as "the only politician who keeps his promises" and "fights for soldiers and police."
Behind the media storm lies a deeper political crisis. MK Almog Cohen broke ranks with Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party to support the Captive Profits Law, legislation designed to tax undistributed corporate profits and potentially raise ₪10 billion in 2025. His vote proved decisive in passing the bill, despite opposition from most of his party colleagues.
Ben Gvir's response was swift and threatening. "Two hours before, he promised to vote with me," he said during a radio interview. "We'll hold a faction meeting and decide his fate." The warning signals a potentially serious rupture within the party.
Cohen justified his defiance on humanitarian grounds, saying he couldn't stomach forcing Prime Minister Netanyahu to leave his sickbed or making MK Boaz Bismouth interrupt the shiva mourning period for his mother. "I refuse to shake the right-wing coalition and hand victory to the Muslim Brotherhood," Cohen explained on social media, casting his vote as an act of loyalty to the broader conservative cause.
The fallout has been severe. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich suggested Ben Gvir's stated concerns about police budgets might be mere pretense, while Likud's Yoav Kisch issued a stark ultimatum: if Ben Gvir "continues voting against government, he can't remain in coalition."
Far from backing down, Ben Gvir launched a counter-attack on his Likud coalition partners: "I'm not a Likudnik. For years you've gotten used to just talking and making promises, speaking right-wing but not delivering right-wing policies." He maintains his stance on protecting police budgets, promising to "support good laws but won't accept harm to police."
At the heart of the dispute is a complex debate over police funding and coalition loyalty. Cohen argued that defeating the budget would have actually harmed police interests, stating that "if the law had failed, chances of improving your conditions would've been zero." He pointed to his experience fighting alongside police during the October 7 attacks to bolster his credibility on security issues.
Meanwhile, Ben Gvir insists the current proposal undermines police compensation, with Smotrich countering that additional funding negotiations remain possible after the bill's passage.
The controversy has exposed unprecedented tensions within Israel's conservative establishment. The spectacle of right-wing media turning against one of their own, combined with threats of party discipline and coalition instability, suggests deeper realignments may be brewing in Israeli politics.
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