Trump Circle Pushes for Israeli Government Excluding Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
Advisers to the U.S. President are advocating a coalition shift to facilitate Saudi normalization, a move that complicates Netanyahu's post-election path.
By Naomi Tesfaye ·
U.S. advisers to President Donald Trump are actively promoting a new Israeli unity government that would remove National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from the cabinet.
The proposed framework suggests a rotation deal where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu serves first, allowing a different leader to take charge later in Trump’s term.
This push follows a public call from hedge fund manager Bill Ackman on Sunday. Ackman, a Trump backer, argued that a moderate coalition is necessary to restore Israel’s international standing and expand the Abraham Accords.
Ackman stated that the presence of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich damages Israel’s global image. He wants Netanyahu to remain in office but with different partners.
Washington officials believe that Trump’s Middle East plans depend on this change. A key goal is a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, which Riyadh says is difficult to advance with the current ministers in charge.
Tensions between Washington and Jerusalem have grown. Special Envoy Tom Barrick disagrees with Israel’s approach to Syria, while officials around Secretary of State Marco Rubio are frustrated with inaction in Judea and Samaria.
Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are reportedly frustrated by the speed of Netanyahu’s moves on Trump’s Gaza plan. Some in Trump’s circle doubt a diplomatic breakthrough is possible with the current prime minister.
Netanyahu told Trump he wants a unity government and will work toward one after the election. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Yechiel Leiter confirmed that Netanyahu prefers this arrangement and will not serve as national security minister again.
Otzma Yehudit officials reacted sharply to the news, fearing a coalition with Gadi Eisenkot at their expense. Ben-Gvir urged Netanyahu to form a right-wing government instead.
Trump has not formally endorsed the initiative. He publicly backed Netanyahu on October 18, though Vice President JD Vance did not join the endorsement. Ambassador Mike Huckabee denied any U.S. effort to dictate the outcome.
The political path remains uncertain. If Netanyahu’s bloc wins 61 mandates, he gets the first chance to form a government, but Eisenkot and Naftali Bennett remain opposed to serving under him. Ultra-Orthodox parties are demanding passage of the conscription bill before talks begin.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
