National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Sunday night that MK Tally Gotliv 'must be in the cabinet' after she joined his Otzma Yehudit party at the second slot. Gotliv said she left Likud after realizing she was 'hindering the campaign for a national unity government,' and thanked Ben Gvir for placing her second, noting she came 12th in Likud primaries despite what she described as the prime minister's efforts to sideline her.
MK Tally Gotliv must be appointed to the cabinet, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir declared Sunday night on Channel 14, hours after she formally joined his Otzma Yehudit party and was placed second on its Knesset slate. The statement is the latest development in a rapid series of moves that saw Gotliv leave Likud and secure a top spot on the right-wing party's list.
The sequence unfolded over the past week. On Tuesday, September 1, initial reports indicated Gotliv would be placed fourth on the Otzma Yehudit list. Later that day, Ben Gvir announced she would be placed second. Minister Yitzhak Vasserlauf then vacated the second slot, moving to third place, and Otzma published an updated slate with Ben Gvir first, Gotliv second, Vasserlauf third, and a contested fourth slot. Tonight, Ben Gvir went further, calling for Gotliv's inclusion in the security cabinet, stating she "must be in the cabinet."
The move marks a significant shift for Gotliv, who until recently was a vocal Likud loyalist. As The Zioneer reported on July 12, she had rejected reports that Prime Minister Netanyahu wanted to distance her from Likud, declaring her loyalty to the party and the prime minister. She had also previously expressed interest in the Justice portfolio. Her departure from Likud joins a trend of high-profile exits, including former Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, who announced his departure in early July.
It remains unclear whether Gotliv's cabinet appointment will materialize, as it would require coalition agreement and a suitable portfolio. Meanwhile, the fourth slot on the Otzma list remains contested between Ben Gvir's chief of staff Chanamel Dorfman and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu.
6 developments
- DevelopingBen Gvir offers MK Tally Gotliv to join Otzma Yehudit, report says
- DevelopingMK Tally Gotliv hits back at reports of Netanyahu wanting to distance her from Likud: 'I am loyal to the party and the PM'
- DevelopingChair of Local Government Union: MK Gotliv costs Likud four seats
- StrongLikud poll: Haddad and Winter top list preferences as Gottlieb leads primary race
Source and signal
- Open-source intake