Eight ministers, lawmakers wanted to leave Netanyahu's Likud for Otzma Yehudit, Ben-Gvir reveals

Ahead of the Likud primaries, four serving ministers and four MKs from the party had asked to join Otzma Yehudit, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Sunday in an interview with 103FM.

"They see Otzma's polls, they saw how strong we are, and they wanted to join," Ben-Gvir elaborated.

However, he sounded far more reserved regarding an MK who went in the opposite direction.

"Almog Cohen is in Likud. I did him a favor by not expelling him," he said. "He is the one who would have taken a mandate from one party to another. Almog is a good MK, and I wish him success."

Ben-Gvir said that during negotiations to unite his slate with Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionist Party, he insisted that Cohen be placed in a realistic position on the list.

"Smotrich didn't want someone without a kippah, and I said: 'It will not happen,' my parents don't wear kippahs. The negotiations almost blew up over it. After I fought so hard for Almog, to take my mandate and transfer it to Likud? That's not how you behave."

Ben-Gvir records videos supporting Likud primary candidates

Walla reported Sunday morning that Ben-Gvir had recently recorded a series of videos expressing support for and recommending ministers and MKs running in the Likud primaries.

Ben-Gvir's list of "recommended candidates" includes ministers and MKs Eli Cohen, May Golan, Ofir Katz, Amir Ohana, Idit Silman, Shlomo Karhi, Tally Gotliv, Nissim Vaturi, Sasson Guetta, and Osher Shekalim.

In the videos recorded ahead of the primaries, Ben-Gvir expresses support for the candidates and urges Likud members to vote for them.

The move is relatively unusual, since Ben-Gvir is not a Likud member but heads a separate party, Otzma Yehudit, which also competes for votes on the Right. Now, days before the vote, he is choosing to identify the people within Likud whom he would like to see strengthened.