Key Takeaways
- • Bill Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, publicly called on Benjamin Netanyahu to exclude Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich from Israel's next government, two days before the scheduled general elections.
- • Ackman argued in a post on X that the ministers' statements and actions had caused enormous damage to Israel's image in the United States.
- • A report cited in the article predicts Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party could win about 10 Knesset seats, up from six, while Smotrich's Religious Zionist party could win eight, up from seven.
- • Mitvim head Nimrod Goren said Ackman's remarks may reflect a desire among Trump-aligned circles to push Netanyahu toward a national unity government, but opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and others have ruled out such a arrangement with Netanyahu.
Summary
American billionaire Bill Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management and a well-known supporter of Israel, called for Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich not to be included in the next Israeli government. Writing on the X platform, Ackman said the far-right politicians' statements and actions had caused enormous damage to Israel's image in the United States, and that forming a government without them could signal that Israel is turning a new page. The call came two days before Israel's general elections, scheduled for Tuesday, amid competition between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition and opposition parties.
Ackman had praised Netanyahu at a conference in Tel Aviv the previous Thursday, saying the prime minister had played an important role in protecting and defending Israel since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. He had also visited Israel the prior week. Ackman previously endorsed US President Donald Trump's 2024 presidential candidacy, and Trump recently announced his support for Netanyahu continuing as prime minister.
According to the report cited in the article, Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party could win about 10 seats in the Knesset, compared with six currently, while Smotrich's Religious Zionist party could win eight, compared with seven in the previous election. These projections highlight the parties' importance to coalition arithmetic despite criticism of their political positions.
Nimrod Goren, head of the Israeli research center Mitvim, said Ackman's statements may reflect a desire among circles close to Trump to push Netanyahu to abandon his far-right allies and form a national unity government with opposition parties. However, Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival, along with other opposition leaders, have ruled out forming a government with him, which the article says weakens the prospects for such a compromise. The developments coincided with thousands of Israelis gathering in Tel Aviv to demand an independent investigation into the October 7, 2023 attack, which killed approximately 1,200 people according to figures in the report.
Ackman had praised Netanyahu at a conference in Tel Aviv the previous Thursday, saying the prime minister had played an important role in protecting and defending Israel since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. He had also visited Israel the prior week. Ackman previously endorsed US President Donald Trump's 2024 presidential candidacy, and Trump recently announced his support for Netanyahu continuing as prime minister.
According to the report cited in the article, Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party could win about 10 seats in the Knesset, compared with six currently, while Smotrich's Religious Zionist party could win eight, compared with seven in the previous election. These projections highlight the parties' importance to coalition arithmetic despite criticism of their political positions.
Nimrod Goren, head of the Israeli research center Mitvim, said Ackman's statements may reflect a desire among circles close to Trump to push Netanyahu to abandon his far-right allies and form a national unity government with opposition parties. However, Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu's main rival, along with other opposition leaders, have ruled out forming a government with him, which the article says weakens the prospects for such a compromise. The developments coincided with thousands of Israelis gathering in Tel Aviv to demand an independent investigation into the October 7, 2023 attack, which killed approximately 1,200 people according to figures in the report.
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