Ben-Gvir Sets Conditions for Dropping Out

Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir has sealed his decision to stay in the election campaign as he made conditions for dropping out that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu‏‏ is not expected to meet.

Ben-Gvir, who has been under great pressure from Netanyahu and his right-wing bloc to withdraw a futile candidacy that will only waste right-wing votes, said at a press conference on Tuesday evening that he would only do so if the prime minister agrees to the following conditions:

Cancelling the Oslo Accord and declaring that a Palestinian state would not be established; stopping “protection payments” to Hamas; banning mixed-gender prayer at the Kosel; reforms in the appointment of judges; ending the Jordanian custodianship over Har Habayis, and more.

Netanyahu has urged the far-right list not to run, citing polls showing it won’t clear the electoral threshold, resulting in a loss of probably two seats for the right-wing.

According to media reports on Tuesday, Netanyahu had said privately that he had given up trying to persuade Ben-Gvir to withdraw from the race.