Itamar Ben-Gvir: 'Positive progress' in talks over new small security cabinet

"Positive progress" has been made in talks between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over the formation of a "small security forum," as there "appears" to be "compliance" to Ben-Gvir's demand that it take part in "setting policy and setting strategic principles regarding the war," the national security minister said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

According to the statement, final agreements had yet to be reached, and only if they were reached would Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party support a bill important to a key Netanyahu ally, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, known as the "Rabbis Bill."

Several politicians from the opposition and even from the coalition criticized the fact that the prime minister intended to form a new security body as a political payoff to Ben-Gvir. Soon after the statement, coalition whip MK Ofir Katz (Likud) countered by removing the Rabbi's Bill from Wednesday's agenda.

"I will not endanger bills that are important to the citizens of Israel and Israeli security that are supposed to pass here today. In addition, the prime minister's visit to the US has decisive importance and nothing should disturb him," Katz said.

Criticizing Ben-Gvir

Education Minister Yoav Kisch criticized Ben-Gvir's conduct. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday morning Kisch wrote, "The method of political extortion is not at all appropriate to wartime. Whoever acts this way does not understand the importance of the hour, the importance of unity in these times, and is disconnected from the challenges that Israel faces. Itamar, come to your senses," Kisch wrote.

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid wrote on X on Wednesday morning, "We checked, the 'consultation forum' is a joke at Ben-Gvir's expense. They are arranging for him to be photographed as he enjoys, and the decisions will be made elsewhere. Netanyahu is not even hiding the fact that it is a scam," Lapid said.

The Shas bill stipulates that the government can create and fund religious service jobs in municipalities and regional councils, in addition to jobs provided by the municipality itself. Shas has said that the bill's purpose is to increase and improve religious services, but opponents of the bill have argued that its real intention is to enable Shas, which controls the religious affairs ministry, to appoint an unlimited number of its members to government-paying jobs.