Ben-Gvir Reaches Preliminary Coalition Agreement With Netanyahu

Controversial Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party have reached a tentative agreement for a coalition government with Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu. Under the initial agreement, Ben-Gvir will serve as National Security Minister, a newly created position that expands the position of the public security minister and adds oversight of the Israel Police and the Border Police in the West Bank. Under the deal, the party also will receive the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee; the newly created Heritage Ministry; the Knesset’s Public Security Committee and the Knesset Special Committee for the Israeli Citizens’ Fund, according to reports.

Likud and Otzma Yehudit have not yet signed a full coalition agreement.

Ben-Gvir on Saturday night caused concern about his possible new appointment when he said that left-wing activists who were attacked by Israel Defense Forces soldiers in Hebron in the West Bank brought it on themselves by provoking the soldiers.

Netanyahu was scheduled on Sunday to meet with the heads of the six coalition faction leaders set to make up his as-of-yet unformed right-wing coalition government.