Netanyahu-Ben-Gvir rift deepens over makeup of Israel’s post-election government

JERUSALEM — Tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are escalating over the composition of a potential post-election government, with conflicting reports emerging over whether the far-rigaht Otzma Yehudit party will secure a place in the next coalition, according to Israeli media.Israel’s Channel 12 said Netanyahu had spoken with Ben-Gvir and Likud lawmaker Tally Gotliv and assured them that Otzma Yehudit would be included in his next government, following the Oct. 27 Knesset election.Ben-Gvir’s party denied the report, saying no such conversation had taken place between Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir in recent weeks.It instead claimed that Netanyahu had told several figures that Otzma Yehudit would not be part of his next government and that he preferred Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot as a coalition partner.Ben-Gvir later criticized Netanyahu publicly, saying Otzma Yehudit had shown greater loyalty to him than some Likud members and objected to what he described as efforts to replace him with Eisenkot.The composition of Israel’s next government depends on coalition agreements among parties in the 120-seat parliament.