Ben-Gvir’s big return hits a wall: Attorney General blocks Otzma Yehudit’s comeback

It was supposed to be a triumphant return: Itamar Ben-Gvir, the firebrand leader of Otzma Yehudit, poised to reclaim his role as Israel’s National Security Minister after the IDF’s overnight blitz on Gaza signaled a full-throttle return to war. By midday, Likud and Otzma Yehudit trumpeted a deal—Ben-Gvir was back, fulfilling his vow to rejoin the government if fighting resumed. But hours later, a bombshell from the Attorney General’s office stopped the celebration cold: Gali Baharav-Miara has ruled he can’t return, plunging the move into legal limbo.

After months on the sidelines, Ben-Gvir’s path back seemed clear. Likud and Otzma Yehudit issued a joint statement: “Otzma Yehudit will return to the Israeli government today, and its ministers will rejoin the cabinet.” The timing was no accident—hours earlier, Israeli jets had pounded Gaza, shattering a ceasefire that had freed dozens of hostages but left 59 still in Hamas’s grip. For Ben-Gvir, who’d stormed out two months ago over that very deal, the renewed offensive was his cue. “If the war restarts, I’m back,” he’d promised. Tuesday’s strikes delivered.

By morning, Ben-Gvir was jubilant. “We bless Israel’s return to intense combat under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership,” he posted online, echoing his party’s earlier stance. “This is the right, moral, ethical, and most justified step to destroy Hamas and bring back our hostages. We can’t accept their existence—they must be toppled.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, another hardliner who’d flirted with resignation over the ceasefire, chimed in: “The IDF’s back in Gaza to crush Hamas, retrieve every hostage, and secure Israel’s south for the long haul.” Political analysts saw Ben-Gvir’s return as proof this wasn’t a one-off raid but a war redux, aligned with Netanyahu’s vow: “From now on, we’ll hit Hamas with growing force.”

Then came the twist: Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara had instructed government legal advisors to halt Ben-Gvir’s comeback. No reasons were detailed—reporter Aviad Glickman noted only that a “factual inquiry” is required first—but the implications were immediate: Otzma Yehudit’s return is frozen. The directive, delivered with the ink barely dry on Likud’s deal, blindsided the coalition, exposing a rift between Netanyahu’s political maneuvering and the state’s legal gatekeeper.

The backstory adds fuel to the fire. Ben-Gvir’s exit two months ago wasn’t quiet—he’d raged against the ceasefire that swapped hostages for calm, calling it a surrender to terror. His party followed, vowing a return only when Israel ditched diplomacy for bombs. Tuesday’s Gaza assault, which killed over 300 per Palestinian reports, handed him that chance. Likud, eager to shore up its right flank amid escalating threats, welcomed him back with open arms. But Baharav-Miara’s intervention suggests deeper tensions—possibly over procedure, coalition legality, or Ben-Gvir’s polarizing record—though her office stayed mum on specifics.

The fallout is electric. Ben-Gvir, a lightning rod for his hardline stance on security and settlements, had framed his return as a moral crusade. Hours before the AG’s ruling, Otzma Yehudit hailed the war’s restart as “the most justified step” to erase Hamas. Now, stuck outside the cabinet, his next move is anyone’s guess—though his history of defiance hints at a fight. Netanyahu, meanwhile, faces a juggling act: pushing a war he’s staked his legacy on while wrangling a coalition suddenly tripped up by its own legal counsel.

For Israelis, the stakes are tangible. Gaza’s renewed flames—sparked by Hamas’s refusal to free hostages despite U.S.-led talks—have reignited a conflict that’s claimed thousands since October 7, 2023. Ben-Gvir’s return was meant to signal resolve; instead, it’s a question mark. Will the AG’s block hold, or will Netanyahu bulldoze through?

Kikar HaShabbat and Kippah contributed to this article.