Israel's wartime government in crisis as Ben-Gvir fires prison chief

Israel's emergency coalition was in danger of collapse on Wednesday evening after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pushed through plans to end Israel Prison Service commissioner Katy Perry's term next month.

Ben-Gvir's decision caused uproar among ministers from Benny Gantz's National Unity faction, which argued that the decision violated the emergency government agreement signed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gantz in the wake of the October 7 massacre.

Under the emergency government's formation agreement, all political hires were to be delayed until after the conclusion of the IDF's war on Hamas in Gaza.

Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Gantz hold emergency talks

Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, and Gantz met on Wednesday evening in hopes of reaching a solution to the conflict following a tussle between ministers on the subject in a cabinet meeting held earlier that day. 

"Four days after the war broke, we formed an emergency government and agreed that all senior officials remain in their posts," National Unity Minister Chili Tropper was quoted by Israeli media as saying at the cabinet meeting. "Violation of this agreement conveys that unity and security are less important. [It conveys that] political decisions take precedence over the people's unity.

"If there is an agreement, one must uphold it," Tropper told Ben-Gvir, who argued in turn that the emergency government agreements were signed between Netanyahu and Gantz and do not apply to his realm of responsibilities as National Security Minister.

"Unity means caring for everyone," Ben-Gvir was quoted as saying. "One party cannot make a deal with a second party, which then tells a third party what to do," he explained.

Ben-Gvir attacks prison chief: 'Weak against Hamas prisoners'

Ben-Gvir and the outgoing IPS commissioners traded blows this week after the former announced his intention to let Perry go. 

"The prison commissioner did not carry out her duties," Ben-Gvir charged. "

"She was soft with Hamas-affiliated prisoners," Ben-Gvir said, claiming that Perry "held negotiations over improving their conditions, in complete opposition to my explicit and unequivocal stance, " without his knowledge.

Ben-Gvir also accused Perry of failing to protect female prison guards amid several sex scandals in Israeli prisons, including the Gilboa Prison "pimping affair" and the Ramon Prison sex scandal.

According to Israeli reports, Shas head Arye Deri hit out at Ben-Gvir's decision, warning Netanyahu that Perry's removal during wartime could lead to the emergency government falling apart.

United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni also voiced his displeasure at the recent government crisis, saying in a speech at the Knesset plenum that UTJ "opposes internal shocks during wartime and demands that agreements be respected."

Gantz on Wednesday evening slammed Israeli politicians for "returning to October 6" by attacking IDF generals and dealing with political hires. Speaking on calls for his faction to resign from the emergency government, Gantz stressed that he joined Netanyahu's government to emerge victorious in Gaza rather than for any political gain.

"We are not in the government to stay, we are here to win," Gantz told reporters.