Full Breakdown
Otzma Yehudit’s Coalition Demands: Defense Ministry for Itamar Ben Gvir, Justice Ministry for Tally Gotliv
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir leads the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, which has been a key partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. The party previously supported a controversial judicial reform agenda in 2023 and helped pass a law in March 2026 mandating the death penalty for terrorists, a measure largely aimed at Palestinians convicted of terror offenses. Ahead of the scheduled October 27 election, Ben Gvir announced a new platform that pairs his bid for the Defense Ministry with a demand that MK Tally Gotliv—a recent defector from Likud—receive the Justice Ministry.
Poll Projections for Otzma Yehudit
A Direct Polls survey conducted on September 24 sampled 537 Israeli adults via a digital questionnaire and panel. The poll projects Otzma Yehudit at 8 seats in the Knesset, unchanged from a previous i24NEWS poll. The same poll places Likud at 27 seats, Gadi Eisenkot’s Yesh! party at 22 seats, and the coalition bloc overall at 60 seats. The poll reports a sampling error of ± 4.2 percentage points at a 95 % confidence level.
Official Statements & Responses
- Itamar Ben Gvir declared that Otzma Yehudit will demand the Defense Ministry for himself in any post-election government.
- Tally Gotliv outlined a justice agenda that begins with the immediate dismissal of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara upon formation of the next government. She also called for Supreme Court nominees to undergo Knesset Constitution Committee hearings and to be approved by a two-thirds majority, and she proposed abolishing the judicial candidate evaluation course, which she describes as a tool of the “judicial junta.”
- Likud officials responded that the Defense and Justice ministries are core portfolios for their party and that they have no intention of relinquishing them in coalition talks. They warned that installing Ben Gvir as defense minister could provoke sharp reactions from neighboring Arab states, particularly Egypt and Jordan, and further strain diplomatic relations.
Criticism & Opposition
Likud’s pushback highlights intra-right-wing tension over ministerial allocations. Party representatives expressed concern that Ben Gvir’s proposed security measures—especially the call for “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians and the disarmament of the Palestinian Authority—could damage Israel’s regional standing. The criticism is limited to statements from Likud officials; no other opposition parties or civil-society groups are cited in the provided sources.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Right-wing voters understand that if they want me as justice minister they must vote for Otzma Yehudit,” — Tally Gotliv
- “As someone who has analyzed the legal system, I am appalled by the crimes coming to light regarding the conduct of top judicial officials,” — Tally Gotliv
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The sources uniformly report Ben Gvir’s demand for the Defense portfolio and Gotliv’s demand for the Justice portfolio. No source provides a concrete response from the Attorney-General’s office regarding the proposed dismissal, leaving a gap in how that action would be implemented. Additionally, while Likud officials claim the ministries are “core portfolios,” the exact composition of any future coalition remains unspecified.
What’s Next
The next Israeli election is scheduled for October 27. Otzma Yehudit’s platform and ministerial demands will be central to coalition negotiations that follow the vote.